Président (2006) Reviews

• A really good movie about the human dimension in French politics

  roxlerookie2006-09-20

  I'm French, I saw this one before its release in theaters in France. It is really, really very good. It gives a very good flavor of the politics world, uses and customs, men, women, and so on. You see how people handle power, how power ends up controlling them. At no moment it is a "left wing" or a "right wing" movie, but it really focuses on the human dimension of the people. It uses many historical details from former 5th republic presidents, such as Miterrand (left), Giscard (right), Chirac (current one, right), De Gaulle (right/center). Dupontel is really amazing considering the all different types of roles he can fit in. In Bernie, in Monique, in this one, he plays 3 totally different persons, but always very accurately and well. To sum up, this is worth seeing. The girl (president's daughter is really cute, though she is not the best actor in the movie). The dude (Mathieu) is doomed to be loved by girls, and it's true that he is nearly perfect.

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• Monsieur the president

  jotix1002009-12-04

  A political film from France that holds our attention from the start. We are introduced to a young and ambitious young French man, based in Africa, where he makes the right connections with an influential older gay man, Frederic Saint-Guillaume, who will be responsible for his ascent into the national scene and being instrumental in getting him to the top job of the country. The president's life is dominated by his love of a daughter, Nahema, a lovely young woman. She meets Mathieu by chance, but is it really a casual encounter? Mathieu, an ambitious young man has an agenda that involves delving into the past of this man that is now the president of the nation. Mathieu proves to be have an uncanny gift of finding a lot about the man now in power. A bitter Saint-Guillaume will be the key figure in what Mathieu will learn. Lionel Delplanque, the French director of this intriguing film, also co-wrote the screenplay. It is an intelligent approach to reveal what goes on behind the scenes in those higher political circles. Mr. Delplanque gets good performances from his first-rate cast. Vincent Mathias fine cinematography works well. Frederic Talgorn's music plays well in the background. Albert Dupontel makes a great appearance as the president of the title. Mr. Dupontel gets better with each of his new films, in the tradition of some of the best French actors that have given us so much enjoyment in recent years. Jeremie Renier, a favorite of the Dardenne brothers of Belgium, is a versatile performer judging from his recent screen appearances. He is a joy to watch. Melanie Doutey, a gorgeous new face from France, is seen as Nahema, the president's daughter.

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• the Americans do it better

  dromasca2007-09-22

  I am a fan of French and European cinema, I like good quality movies and I am often critical about big studios American movies. And yet, dealing with 'President' a film that tries to combine the political thriller with the recent daughters_of_president sub-genre which gave a few movies recently I confess - the American do it better. The premise of the movie is not very original, a French president who is involved in a web of dirty tricks has to deal with his daughter falling in love with a young economist at a time when his career is endangered by a series of scandals. He hires the young contender as an adviser, but then the conscience of the hero may make interfere in the political action and become a nuisance at the wrong time. Unfortunately this is where the professionalism of the American movies plays best. This film does not succeed to provide the pace and clarity of the good American thriller movies, and does not supply any special dimension of psychology or social comment either. Whatever pretensions of human analysis the movie may have are lost in ambiguity, it looks like the director did not decide whether his characters are to be positive or negative until the end of the movie. Worse than all he did not decide how to finish history either, and I witnessed here an abrupt ending without any explanation that left me completely puzzled. I understand open endings, but this was not an open ending, this was a no-end ending. If somebody understood it and can explain, I would be very curious to hear.

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• Lead of gestures

  Vincentiu2011-04-30

  A film about the cruel price of politics. Love story as axis. And the lies, compromises and abdications, errors and indirect crimes like modus vivendi. About power and fear only facts talks. The president may be French, Romanian or Somalian. The differences are small. The mixture of past and future is in any situation dangerous. And reality is only way of small combination. The movie is not indictment or manifesto. It is indigestible food. Precise and result of old recipes. With great actors and gray air. With final open shade. A movie as a ax kick. Lead of gestures, gnashing of feelings. Secrets as heats of a British ceremony. And the end. As evening rain.

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