Le genre humain - 1ère partie: Les parisiens (2004)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Claude Lelouch

Writers:

Claude Lelouch (writer)
Pierre Uytterhoeven (writer)

Release Date:

15 September 2004 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot Keywords:

Paris

Cast

Mathilde Seigner	...	Clémentine / Anne
Maïwenn Le Besco	...	Shaa (as Maïwenn)
Arielle Dombasle	...	Sabine Duchemin
Agnès Soral	...	La femme de Pierre
Alessandra Martines	...	Alessandra Martines
Michel Leeb	...	Michaël Gorkini
Massimo Ranieri	...	Massimo
Ticky Holgado	...	Dieu
Francis Perrin	...	Le directeur de la boîte de jazz
Pierre Santini	...	Benhamou, le metteur en scène
Grégori Derangère	...	L'agent immobilier
Constantin Alexandrov	...	Le Parisien complexe
Michèle Bernier	...	La serveuse du Jazz Club
Laurine Bresler		(as Laurine Bressler)
Evelyne Buyle	...	La femme du train

Also Known As:

Le genre humain - Première partie: Les parisiens (France) (alternative spelling)

Runtime:

France:119 min

Country:

France

Language:

French | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Switzerland:12 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:12 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Chateau de Villette, Condecourt, Val-d'Oise, France

Company:

Canal+

Movie Connections:

Followed by Le courage d'aimer (2005)

Lelouch is... Lelouch

Lelouch is unique. you either hate or love him films, as his style is often composed of stories within stories, interactions, time leaps and even the participation of the spectator himself.

mostly all the people in the film are familiar faces in France. many of the interpreters here are not actors but friends of Lelouch. some are real life singers, journalists, comics and TV show hosts, even his wife and child have roles. for the french audience, it is easier to smile at the contrast between who they really are in real life, and who they play in the film.

all these features always add a very intimate tone to his films, where he strives to reach deeply into the human heart and... the human condition.

the reference to Victor Hugo at the beginning of the film is essential to it's understanding. i recommend the viewing of another film, his version of Hugo's "Les Misérables" very poignant, universal and timeless.

ultimately, he sees beauty in each and one of us, and elevates man, even the bum, the weak, the ugly, even the spirits (as is the tribute to his late friend Ticky Holgado).

God is a bum in this film. it goes to show that for Lelouch, a spirit of light stirs in all of us and that it can be found everywhere, especially in the most surprising places and moments. in some films he has depicted unfriendly characters such as nazi collaborators, tyrants, crooks and criminals. but they all have a soul, they are all human who once loved. man for Lelouch is essentially good. one recurrent message in his works would have to be : Compassion.

in "les Parisiens", first part of a trilogy, complex relationships and the pitfalls of love are the center of all the situations. if you're not used to Lelouch's style, you can get a little lost. but it's only a matter of training the eye and the ear... i do admit that this film is very French, and a French public will probably be more "in tune" with the mannerisms, eye expressions, body language and situations depicted.

thank you again, Monsieur Lelouch. and as always, thank you for the beautiful music*, an essential part in his films. always.

i recommend.

* non-stop from beginning to end. this by itself is a great reason to enjoy these 2 hours.