Review of Les Vedettes (Film, 2022)

The stars: the Palmashow is back in force

Jonathan Barré is the third man behind the Palmashow. It is he who accompanies the cult duo formed by Grégoire Ludig and David Marsais since their beginnings. From the YouTube series Very Bad Jokes, he is the one who hides behind the camera and brings the Palmashow sketches to life.

It is he again who signs the staging of the feature film The Crazy Story of Max and Leon in 2016. And here he is again faithful to the post, once again, to the achievement of The stars.

Once again, the two friends embody heroes on the margins of society, a little stupid, who are looking for their place in the world. Grégoire Ludig and David Marsais play two employees of a major household appliance store who see their lives turned upside down when they are fired. To pay off their debts, they decide to sign up for game shows. The pitch is calm and totally suits the parodic humor of the duo.

cow love

This time, Grégoire Ludig and David Marsais decide to modify their little their usual characters. If they camp two cranks who have a lot of trouble taking a step back, the relationship between the two characters evolves a little. We are used to seeing them as ass and shirt, whether in their sketches, in Santa & Co., or in the recent mandibles. But this time, the duo opts for writing “I love you, me neither”.

The two actors play on their differences, on what opposes them, and on the legacy of the characters, they have created over the course of their careers. This time, they hate each other and must come together for a common purpose. A way to shift the concept of bromance towards a rather refreshing cow love.

As with the Coen brothers, the Palmashow decides to stage from loser beautiful. Very simple characters, very human, to whom unusual things happen. It’s a bit what makes their identity and it’s what makes their films and their protagonists extremely endearing. Because if The stars is not a hilarious comedy, she exudes empathy and sincerity at all times. And that’s what we love most about the Palmashow.

A pretty wise parody

The stars also allow them to throw a critical look at contemporary television. The one who plays with people’s weaknesses, with their dramas, their money problems, and their desire to be famous. Or at least to do something that matters in their lives.

Jonathan Barré thus stages a realistic parody of the world of television, showbiz, this opium of the people that manipulates everyone’s looks and desires, and the way this universe can bring two men a little lost into an ephemeral and hypocritical prism. In any case, this is what embodies Julien Pestel, in the role of a producer going against the cliché of the genre via a hypnotic game while restrained perfectly mastered.

But what may be missing is The stars, it’s a real surge of madness. Strangely, the Palmashow seems to be holding back in its comic springs. The duo does not push their parody delirium far enough and finally stays very firmly on the beaten track of basic French comedy.

Anyway, we were waiting for more shifts, more trash, and more absurd in the new Palmashow comedy, which remains quite wise. And finally, we say more and more that the duo is funnier in the others than in their own productions. A bit like Eric and Ramzy before them.

The stars by Jonathan Barré, in theaters on February 9, 2022. Above the trailer. Find all our trailers here.

To read more about Les Vedettes or about movie and series news, stay tuned by visiting DashFUN.