Day 189: Qu'est-ce qu'on a fait au Bon Dieu? (September, 14)

Oh, God! What have we done to You? That's the big question in Que'est-ce qu'on a fait au Bon Dieu?, a French production that offers a funny look at how a traditional French couple deals with the increasing diversity on their community. 

At the beginning, I was a bit afraid of what would come next, because comedy has a way to reaffirm some prejudices. The subject has perverse sides, and I was a bit cautious to look at it by a comedy. But that feature is confined on the diegetic characters. The movie presents a funny and delicate look, through many stereotypes that we see daily, to how prejudiced views are everywhere, but are overcome by proximity and empathy, at least in a familiar setting. 

A couple has four daughters, each one marrying a guy outside the dream of their parents, which is a French catholic (white) man. Their dinner table is nothing like what they had envisioned, and conflicts emerge at every familiar reunion. They become apart for a time, until they really try to be together, for the good sake of the parents, the daughters, the grandchildren. Everyone appoint  a finger to each other, until they realize how futile this is. 

The focus on the familiar setting is a way to approach the ingrained prejudices of every particular culture toward each other. It is also a way to sustain how affection, love, empathy, understanding are more natural than we think, and are prevented  mostly by our preconceived ideas about otherness. Simple like that,this movie is - with the perk of good laughs and the beautiful French countryside. 

Qu'est-ce qu'on fait au Bon Dieu?  Directed by Philippe de Chauveron. With:
Christian Clavier, Chantal Lauby, Ary Abbitan. Dialogue by Phillippe de
Chauveron and Guy Laurent. France, 2014, 97 min., Dolby Digital, Color (Cinema).

PS: On this morning, I've come across a movie that I've seen some thirty years ago and that had a great impact on me. I'm talking about 2010, based on Arthur C. Clarke sequel to 2001. At 14 years old, I absolutely loved this movie, that I've watched at a movie theater near my home at that time (I'm extremely lucky for have lived near two cinemas when I was growing up). Because of this movie, I decided to see 2001 again and read all the books. I was a bit bummed by that at the end, the explanation to the monolith almost ruined the whole story to me. Explanations are in fact a bummer, and I cannot understand why we usually seek for them. Of course, opposed to Kubrick's masterpiece, this 2010 is not so appreciated, but he occupies an important place for me. Seeing it again, I was curious mostly by its cast: younger Hellen Miller, John Lightow, Roy Scheider, Bob Balaban, playing American and Russian astronauts in a message of peace in context of the Cold War. It is no so brilliant as its predecessor, sure, but neither are the books on this matter. The explanations, as I've said, get bigger and bigger, spoiling all the transcendent meaning of the story. But I like it a lot anyway. The Russian guy saying something was a piece of pie and that the other was easy as cake was funny. And the last dialogue between Dr. Chandra and Hall is beautiful, even if a bit cheesy in this '80s production. I'm happy have begun my day with that movie.