Xavier Gens surprised the French cinematographic landscape with his audacity and his desire to offer genre cinema with Frontière(s) in 2008. But when he switches registers to comedy with Manu Payet, Jonathan Cohen and Mr Octopus in Budapest, the surprise is even greater. But in the end, is this surprise so good?
While genre cinema is back in France and gaining more and more notoriety, one of the leading directors of French horror is turning to comedy, a genre blessed in France for several decades. The risk is therefore minimal for Xavier Gens with his new film: Budapest. The cast also does not take risks with two comedy specialists namely Manu Payet and Jonathan Cohen but also Mr Octopus who is gradually starting to find his place on the big screen.
If we take stock before watching the film, Xavier Gens does not take a priori major risk but the film is ultimately much more than a comedy and surprises much more than it seems!
The film tells the story of Vincent and Arnaud, two excellent friends who, after a disappointing evening, have the idea of setting up a stag and hen party company taking place in Budapest thanks to the help of Georgio, a Frenchman living in Hungary and played by Mr Octopus. But obviously, everything does not go as planned… (It's interesting to know that the film is based on a true story!)
The film is therefore a curious surprise or even a very good surprise! While the time is for low-quality and often offensive comedies, Budapest is a risk-taking that has the form of a Very Bad Trip but is, in the end, much more interesting!
The scenario remains very basic and unambitious but several reversals of situation will surprise the attentive viewer. However, despite this simplicity, the film is very pleasant to watch for several reasons!
A comedy that dares and imposes itself.
At first, he is very funny. Obviously, the film revolves slightly around adult subjects but it does not endorse only that! The humor is good, intelligent and extremely effective!The actors obviously help the film to give this crazy atmosphere with Manu Payet and Jonathan Cohen who are excellent in their respective roles and prove that they do not only know how to play laughter. We are surprised to see the two actors being very invested in strong scenes where anger is at the rendezvous! Mr. Octopus, meanwhile, remains more in the shadows but gives a smile thanks to his colorful character that he takes a malicious pleasure to embody.
But that's not all! In a second step, the film also benefits from the experience of Xavier Gens who was able to impose a form in his previous films and who has the intelligence to reuse it in a new genre. The film thus has a very pleasant, new and innovative form for a comedy! With real staging ideas and an ultra dynamic rhythm, Budapest surprises and offers something interesting in the current French comic register!
The film will obviously not be the film of the year but, in the end, it's nice to see that a French comedy can compete with American comedies of the same genre! In short, Xavier Gens is trying new staging ideas and the actors are at their best, so it's the French comedy of this summer, that's for sure! Released on June 27.
Budapest trailer
