''Whatever You Say'' (original title: ''Mon idole'') is a 2002 French
comedy-drama film
Comedy drama, also known by the portmanteau ''dramedy'', is a genre of dramatic works that combines elements of comedy and drama. The modern, scripted-television examples tend to have more humorous bits than simple comic relief seen in a typical ...
directed by
Guillaume Canet
Guillaume Canet (; born 10 April 1973) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter, and show jumper.
Canet began his career in theatre and television before moving to film. He starred in several films like '' Joyeux Noël'', '' Love Me I ...
and starring
François Berléand
François Berléand (; born 22 April 1952) is a French actor.
He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in ''Le Bureau'', the French version of ''The Office'', produced by Canal+. He also appeared in the 2002 fil ...
, Guillaume Canet,
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in ...
,
Daniel Prévost
Daniel Prévost (born 20 October 1939) is a French actor, comedian and writer.
Early life
Daniel Prévost, alias Denis Forestier, was born to Micheline Chevalier and Mohand Ait Salem. His father was of Berber descent from Algeria (Kabylie re ...
, and
Clotilde Courau
Princess Clotilde Marie Pascale Courau (born 3 April 1969) is a French actress. She is married to Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Royal Families of the World: ''Volume I Europe & Latin America''. Burke's Pee ...
.
Plot
Philippe Letzger (
Philippe Lefebvre) is the host of ''It's Tissue Time!'', an exploitation television game show where contestants are made to cry. The show's audiences are warmed up by one of Letzger's assistants, Bastien (
Guillaume Canet
Guillaume Canet (; born 10 April 1973) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter, and show jumper.
Canet began his career in theatre and television before moving to film. He starred in several films like '' Joyeux Noël'', '' Love Me I ...
), an ambitious young man who provides Letzger with good ideas for the show, for which his boss eagerly takes credit. Bastien tolerates Letzger's antics in order to work with Jean-Louis Broustal (
François Berléand
François Berléand (; born 22 April 1952) is a French actor.
He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in ''Le Bureau'', the French version of ''The Office'', produced by Canal+. He also appeared in the 2002 fil ...
), the show's sophisticated producer whom he admires. Bastien's girlfriend, Fabienne (
Clotilde Courau
Princess Clotilde Marie Pascale Courau (born 3 April 1969) is a French actress. She is married to Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Royal Families of the World: ''Volume I Europe & Latin America''. Burke's Pee ...
), is frustrated by his worship of the suave producer. Bastien is equally frustrated when he finds out that the blonde he is attracted to at the office is in fact Broustal's young wife, Clara (
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in ...
).
One day, Broustal begins to take interest in Bastien's ideas for the show, and invites him to spend the weekend with him and his wife at their country estate to work on a concept for a new show called ''Proof in Pictures''. When they arrive, Clara quickly seduces Bastien, but Broustal does not seem to care. During the weekend, Broustal tells the young man that he can make him a television star, but the couple's motives seem strange, and possibly sinister.
Cast
*
François Berléand
François Berléand (; born 22 April 1952) is a French actor.
He plays Gilles Triquet, the officer manager and equivalent of David Brent in ''Le Bureau'', the French version of ''The Office'', produced by Canal+. He also appeared in the 2002 fil ...
as Jean-Louis Broustal
*
Guillaume Canet
Guillaume Canet (; born 10 April 1973) is a French actor, film director and screenwriter, and show jumper.
Canet began his career in theatre and television before moving to film. He starred in several films like '' Joyeux Noël'', '' Love Me I ...
as Bastien
*
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger ( Heidkrüger; ; born 15 July 1976) is a German and American actress. Early in her career, Kruger gained worldwide recognition and received the Trophée Chopard from the Cannes Film Festival.
Kruger became known for her roles in ...
as Clara Broustal
*
Philippe Lefebvre as Philippe Letzger
*
Daniel Prévost
Daniel Prévost (born 20 October 1939) is a French actor, comedian and writer.
Early life
Daniel Prévost, alias Denis Forestier, was born to Micheline Chevalier and Mohand Ait Salem. His father was of Berber descent from Algeria (Kabylie re ...
as M. Balbot
*
Clotilde Courau
Princess Clotilde Marie Pascale Courau (born 3 April 1969) is a French actress. She is married to Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia, Montgomery-Massingberd, Hugh. Burke's Royal Families of the World: ''Volume I Europe & Latin America''. Burke's Pee ...
as Fabienne
*
Jacqueline Jehanneuf
Jacqueline may refer to:
People
* Jacqueline (given name), including a list of people with the name
* Jacqueline Moore (born 1964), ring name "Jacqueline", American professional wrestler
Arts and entertainment
* ''Jacqueline'' (1923 film), ...
as Maryvonne
*
Andrée Damant
Andrée Damant (20 September 1929 – 6 December 2022) was a French actress.
Life and career
Damant starred in many commercials. She also specialized in the roles of sympathetic Méridionales often Marseillaises pure strain, which led from time ...
as Micheline
*
Gilles Lellouche
Gilles Lellouche (; born 5 July 1972) is a French actor. He started his career as a director. Lellouche has appeared in more than fifty films since 1995. He was nominated twice for a César Award; in 2006 for Most Promising Actor and in 2011 f ...
as Daniel Bénard
*
Jean-Paul Rouve
Jean-Paul Rouve (born 26 January 1967) is a French actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He is a member of the troupe "Les Robins des Bois".
He has appeared in more than thirty film and television productions since 1993.
Personal li ...
as Patrick
*
Anne Marivin
Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie.
Anne is sometimes used as a male name in the ...
as The assistant
*
Laurent Lafitte
Laurent Lafitte (born 22 August 1973) is a French actor. He is known for playing the role of Patrick in ''Elle
''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, tog ...
as Fabrice
*
Pierre Jolivet
Pierre Jolivet (; born 9 October 1952) is a French director, actor, screenwriter, and producer. His film '' Zim and Co.'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2005 Cannes Film Festival and his film '' The Night Watchman'' won the ...
as Bertrand Vigneau
Accolades
References
External links
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Whatever You Say (film)
2002 films
2000s French-language films
Films directed by Guillaume Canet
French comedy-drama films
Films about television
2002 directorial debut films
2000s French films
2002 comedy-drama films