La Belle Verte (1996)

The Worst Film Ever

everything you have heard about this movie is true.

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Lali Rao, wrote in an earlier comment : " ... An important role in this film is played by Colline Serreau who is effective as Mila ..." Filmmaker = main actor. This is a very intrinsic "detail". ;-) This is a brilliant 100% situational-observational comedy, where I feel at every corner the leading example of the great master in this kind of universally not much used type of humour: I'm talking about Jaques Tati. Here, I feel the female reincarnation of mister Tati. And it's also reflected in that simple fact, Colline plays her own film, just as Jaques has done, ever since he started standing behind and in front of the camera at the same time. Of course, there is zero copy of 'style' involved. It's rather a splendid continuation of a unique manner of working and of building humour out of the observation of daily reality, through eyes that give it a unique turn. THAT, is it ! But, YES, it would be better you understand french. By translating, part of the soul is killed, because those translators don't understand the product, and the product is very french ! The biggest mistake from Anglosaxon's is always looking for "morality", "higher messages", etc... if it's not full slapstick to remind them of so called humour. Laughing can be both refined and more intellectual referenced. That's what Tati learned us. Observe closely, and the COMIC already jumps onto you, from every situation in daily life. Colline Serrau understood this lesson from "the master". ;-) ( And YES, I write humour as humour, not as humor, as this site's spelling checker wants me to do. Because I'm European, and stick to "English". Beg me pardon, Americans... ;-) )

Since I am a big environmental fighter for clean and sustainable life, this movie was a big refreshing from the start. A funny, simple said story was something new for me since watching Earthlings. Excellent acting crew, camera, director, screenplay and story were very much promising until beautiful nurse forbidden to alien Mila holding a baby whose mother left it because Serbs raped her (during the war in Bosnia probably-but not said). It had to be a Serb who was a rapist and a Bosniak women who is a victim. Crimes were on both sides but this was a classic fascistic move from a story writer or director. Shame, this movie was more promising but fascistic media always has to be involved in our lives. In 90s every Serb was a war criminal and now every Muslim is present as Osama Bin Laden but that's another story. Shame Shame!

As opposed to the last reviewer, I found this movie completely refreshing. Finally, a movie that presents the quirks of our modern and frantic living in a very humorous and simple way (check out Kooyaanisqatsi if you need a more abstract and poetic view). This movie doesn't "try" to make you laugh, you just do so because you can see yourself in it.This may not be a movie that Americans will quite get into since the type of humor and cultural background is very French in deed (and it does point out the absurdity of a lot of things we do here in North America as well as in Europe). It is highly commendable for the social comments it passes (just check out the scene where Vincent Lindon accidentally scratches someone else's car's rear view mirror or when the baby doesn't exist since it doesn't have papers). The movie as a lyrical feel to it and gives us hope. We just have to listen a bit closely. I give it a solid 7,5/10

No doubt about it, the idea for the film is quite original. An alien from a lovely planet is sent to earth for the first time in 200 years to see how the earthlings are doing. The novelty comes from its reaction to earth's current state, pollution, noise, cars, big trees etc However, I find the novelty wears off about half way through the film and the story becomes incredibly weak and repetitive. The alien returns to its planet together with sons and 2 girlfriends found on earth. The latter part of the film shows long scenes of "gymnasts" prancing around in the grass and swinging from trees. The whole thing starts to get boring and I nearly fell asleep ! From what I can gather the "planet" scenes were shot in the Auvergne area of France, a region of extinct turf-coloured volcanoes, a very beautiful area and thus one of the saving graces of the Film. But let's face it, French cinema has never been very adept at this kind of film, it's more a US speciality. So certainly nothing to write home about, and nothing lost if you miss it.