Tired of London, Andrew Blake (John Malkovich) travels to France, his late wife’s country of origin, hoping to have a good time and rehash sweet memories at the property where they met. Received like a dog in a game of bowling by Odile (Émilie Dequenne), the cook who only cares about her cat, the man is forced by the first to take on a role as a trial butler for the enigmatic Mme Beauvillier (Fanny Ardant).
You are never better served than by yourself. Known for his successful humorous novels, Gilles Legardinier decided to go behind the camera to adapt, with the screenwriting support of producer Christel Henon, his novel Completely burned!published by Fleuve Noir in 2012. Everyone has their own job, we would like to say to him in front of this embarrassing dramatic comedy where three high-level actors waste their talent.
Nothing goes in Completely burned!, where John Malkovich, as a Francophile British businessman, crosses swords with Émilie Dequenne, as a crazy cook, and Fanny Ardant, as a ruined widow who tries to save her mansion. Not only do the characters seem to come straight out of an old boulevard play, the dialogues that the spectators have to stuff themselves with are also abysmal stupidity. Worse still, the numerous puns and jokes about cultural differences stink up the reheated. As for the production, it evokes that of a mediocre TV film from the 1980s.
Apart from detestable secondary characters steeped in clichés, we find in this pitiful comedy where each change of heart is telegraphed a cleaning lady who hides her maternity from her boss and a steward who has a crush on the cook, respectively played without finesse by Eugénie Anselin and Philippe Bas. With the latter, Malkovich, who slurs French, proves that ridicule does not kill in the scene where Andrew, blonde wig screwed on his head and lips smeared with carmine red, gives lessons in seduction to his new colleague. This scene alone transforms this comedy that wanted to do good into a disaster that creates unease.
Indoors
Drama
Completely burned!
Gilles Legardinier
John Malkovich, Emilie Dequenne, Fanny Ardant
1h40