Le Héros de la famille (2006) Directed by Thierry Klifa
Drama
aka: Family Hero
Film Review
Not for the first time, a glittering ensemble of some of French
cinema's finest actors are brought together for a film that in no way
measures up to their collective talent, and you are left wondering if
stars such as Catherine Deneuve and Emmanuelle Béart haven't
anything better to do with their time. Thierry Klifa's
second film, after his promising debut feature Une vie à t'attendre
(2004), is an uninspired and predictable affair lacking charm,
psychological depth and any emotional force. The classy musical
numbers relieve the boredom marginally, particularly those in which a
stunning Emmanuelle Béart shows her talent as a cabaret singer, but
overall the film leaves little impression.
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Film Synopsis
For many years, Gabriel Stern has managed the popular nightclub Le Perroquet Bleu in Nice.
Although close to those who work for him, he remains a mysterious and
unpredictable employer. His closest friend and collaborator is
Nicky, a magician who once had a brilliant television career but who
now performs in front of a dwindling audience at Gabriel's
nightclub. After Gabriel's death, Nicky is surprised and
embittered when he learns that his lifelong friend has bequeathed the
bulk of his estate, including the night club, not to him but to his two
children, Simone and Alice. Simone, a lawyer, tells his father
that he has no choice but to sell Le
Perroquet Bleu, instigating a bitter family feud...
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