Nicolas Bedos pins the Côte d’Azur of all excesses with a high-flying cast

Nicolas Bedos had offered himself the pleasure of coming to present at the Cannes Film Festival 2022 a film which symbolizes in itself all the excesses. Stars, glitter, money but also lust, lies and betrayals, this is the earthy menu of Masquerade his new feature film which targets all the clichés that can be associated with the sumptuous activities of the Côte d’Azur. It is also with the same assumed irony that the director and humorist of 43 years had delivered his irreverent OSS 117: Red Alert in Black Africa on the Croisette in July 2021.

In Masquerade, we follow the intertwined stories of several characters associated with the middle of the Riviera bourgeoisie, such as Martha (Isabelle Adajni), an actress on the return who maintains Adrien (Pierre Niney), a young dancer forced to stop his career because of a leg injury. He takes advantage of the fortune and egocentrism of the former movie star to set up a scheme with Margot (Marine Vacth), his flamboyant mistress with whom he will quickly fall in love. Their shenanigans will in particular embark Simon (François Cluzet) in a sentimental and greedy whirlwind where all the blows seem allowed.

For his fourth feature film as a director, Nicolas Bedos has offered himself a high-flying cast which ideally caricatures the bourgeois spheres of the Nice region. The tandem between Pierre Niney, 33, and Isabelle Adjani, twice his age, works wonderfully and symbolizes in itself all the excesses of an environment where each character develops his own neuroses. Special mention to Marine Vacth (also starring in November presented at Cannes) as an irresistible seductress, which alone brings the spice and twists expected in this kind of film.

As its name suggests so well, Masquerade offers its share of both comic and dramatic situations, following a steady rhythm and always accompanied by a skilfully orchestrated soundtrack to keep the spectator in suspense. But with its very choppy narration against the background of a trial (a round trip format very fashionable in American series) involving all the characters, it is sometimes difficult to follow the different temporalities of this joyful stampede, as exciting as it can be. be confused.

For 2h14 (the film has been edited and shortened by eight minutes since its version screened in May at the Cannes Film Festival), we enjoy admiring the sumptuous landscapes of the South-East of France and laughing at the setbacks of each other. . The deja-vu tunes of his screenplay will arouse a certain demand from the public, and some will surely regret a final twist that is a little too predictable to completely mark the spirits.

Gender : drama
Director: Nicolas Bedos
Actors: Isabelle Adjani, Pierre Niney, Marine Vacth, Emmanuelle Devos, François Cluzet
Country : France
Duration : 2h14
Exit : November, 1st
Distributer : Pathé Distribution

Summary: Adrien, an attractive dancer whose career was shattered by a motorcycle accident, squanders his youth in the idleness of the Côte d’Azur, maintained by Martha, a former glory of the cinema. His life changes when he meets Margot, a fascinating creature who lives off scams and amorous manipulations. Together, they will fantasize about a better life and set up a diabolical scheme, a sentimental masquerade.