The first of the new OSS 117 films, this was the first ever collaboration between Michel Hazanivicius, his wife Berenice Bejo, and the impressive star, studly Jean Dujardin. Though I did like the second of these films better, there is such an amazing style, energy and creative blend to this film. The scenery, the look
of this film is pointedly OSS original, taking something from the old spy series from the sixties and also being something new and beautiful. The lead character is sexist, egotistical, and stupid (not ignorant. That's forgivable.) While most parody spy films have the bumbling lead given understanding, OSS is shot at, kidnapped, and shown no mercy, even in the face of his romantic lead, portrayed by the gorgeous Berenice Bejo. I loved the myriad of plot, the humor, the music, the picturesque views that are oh so clean and bright. It looks and feels like the Brits' James Bond films while having the suave texture and feel of the French cinema, and the humor of a Steve Martin film from the seventies, almost fitting with the time period of this film. In short, the plot wavers between interesting and insanely confusing, if only because I do not have the attention span to look between Jean Dujardin being the goofy lead and the villain putting on a sneer while delivering his seminal evil genius speech. Really, it's again Dujardin who steals the show from the wiley temptresses and the melodramatic Nazis. It's his toothy grin and duplicitous insults that make this film into a very lewd comedy, though he does spar with Bejo a number of times, and seems reverent of his co-stars with maturity and childlike wonder. I look forward to more collaborations between Hazanavicius and Dujardin, as they have now made at least three films together, all of which I have found light and captivating. Hopefully Dujardin will have a sprawling career as the comedic relief, stupid and charming all at once.
May 6, 2012
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