“The Coubertin spirit”: between regressive work, satire and comedy around the Olympic Games

The Coubertin spirit, directed by Jérémie Sein and released in theaters on Wednesday May 8, plunges us in advance, but not in a premonitory way we hope, into the Paris Olympic Games during which the results of the French delegation are catastrophic. All hopes then rest on Paul, world shooting champion, quite low in stature and asocial.

In other words, how the Games become this unique moment where thousands of people support a stranger and his little-known sport, as director Jérémie Sein recognizes. “I am the first to be completely infatuated with this badminton team, the players of which I knew neither from Eve nor from Adam”, he takes as an example. “I will appropriate their disappointment, or their success. There is something very French in that.”

And if The Coubertin spirit is not only a regressive work, but also a satire of society, politics or the media through the sporting prism. The film is quite trashy and very funny, even hilarious at times, largely thanks to its line-up of actors: Benjamin Voisin, Emmanuelle Bercot, Rivaldo Pawawi, Grégoire Ludig, Laura Felpin and the DAVA duo, YouTube stars.