La ch'tite famille réal. by Dany Boon
2020; American Association of Teachers of French; Volume: 93; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1353/tfr.2020.0224
ISSN2329-7131
Autores Tópico(s)Global Healthcare and Medical Tourism
ResumoReviewed by: La ch'tite famille réal. by Dany Boon Ann Marie Moore Boon, Dany, réal. La ch'tite famille. Int. Dany Boon, Line Renaud, Laurence Arné, Valérie Bonneton. Pathé, 2018. Ashamed of his Ch'ti heritage, the great interior designer Valentin Duquenne claims to be an orphan, abandoned by his mother early in life with no knowledge of his roots. In his most recent film about the Ch'ti, Dany Boon again plays the role of both director and main character in a story that throws together country and city existence, with life-changing results. Successfully able to hide his origins, Valentin—and his life and business partner, Constance—are the foremost designers of elegant, unconventional and uncomfortable furniture in Paris. Unfortunately for Valentin, his family does not respect his decision to abandon them and their way of life. When his brother needs money for a business endeavor, Valentin's mom, brother, sister-in-law, and niece crash the big city life that Valentin has created for himself and Constance. They all show up unannounced at the opening of his furniture as art exhibit. The repercussions that follow are serious and include an encounter with the paparazzi and Valentin's unorthodox hillbilly family, Constance's father running over Valentin with his car, and the complete destruction of Valentin's life as he knew it. After the hit-and-run, which Constance's father did not admit to, Valentin is left with severe brain trauma resulting in a case of amnesia that encompasses the last 25 years of his life (i.e., his entire design career and life with Constance). When Valentin regains consciousness after the accident, he wakes as a seventeen-year-old Ch'ti, complete with peculiar customs and incomprehensible language. As a follow-up to Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis (2008), La ch'tite famille takes a much more serious approach to the differences between the Ch'ti way of life and the rest of France. While the storyline has nothing to do with Boon's original Ch'ti film, there are many actors and actresses in common, including Line Renaud, again as the demanding and overbearing mother, and a cameo appearance by Kad Merad as himself. La ch'tite famille follows Valentin as he reconnects with his family, rediscovers who he was before the accident, and finds a way to finally integrate his Ch'ti heritage with his high-class Parisian city life. At its core, this film is a love story about self-discovery. What initially appeared to be a very superficial relationship between Valentin and Constance develops into a deep and profound love, [End Page 234] with each making sacrifices to rekindle what was there before the accident. Valentin must re-learn and strengthen how to speak and act as a Parisian, and Constance learns to speak Ch'ti herself in order to communicate with Valentin and his family. While not as light-hearted as Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, La ch'tite famille is full of memorable and amusing moments. Boon's film provides the audience with an unexpected, yet emotionally fulfilling, tale of the sacrifices required to make love work, both familial and romantic love, as well as the advantages and personal satisfaction that come with the efforts. Ann Marie Moore New Manchester High School (GA) Copyright © 2020 American Association of Teachers of French
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