Mon pire cauchemar (2011)

Directed by: Anne Fontaine | 103 minutes | comedy, romance | Actors: Isabelle Huppert, Benoît Poelvoorde, André Dussolier, Virginie Efira, Corentin Devroey, Donatien Suner, Aurélien Recoing, Eric Berger, Philippe Magnan, Samir Guesmi, Françoise Miquelis, Jean-Luc Couchard, Emilie Gavois-Kahn, Serge Sugilermotooff, Hiroshi , Yumi Fujimori, Valerie Moreau

You will not easily encounter greater opposites than Agathe (Isabelle Huppert) and Patrick (Benoît Poelvoorde), protagonists in the French feature film ‘Mon pire cauchemar’ (my worst nightmare). She is a hardworking, ambitious and successful businesswoman, he an untrained failure who can barely keep her head above water with a little extra work. She is apparently happily married to the much older François, lives in a closet of a house and is doing well financially, he is a bachelor who has few interests outside of alcohol and sex / whores. Patrick is happy that he has a roof over his head at all. No, there are really not many similarities between Agathe and Patrick. Well, one then and that is that they both have a son of about ten years old. The fact that their two sons become close friends causes their very different lives to intersect and this is her worst nightmare, especially for Agathe.

‘Mon pire cauchemar’, although certainly not very refreshing, has a nice scenario with quite a bit of potential. For that reason alone it is a shame that its effect feels so dull and almost obligatory. Anne Fontaine’s film certainly starts off quite nicely and the first half hour, in which the characters of Agathe and Patrick regularly clash, is entertaining. Unfortunately, the film does not continue this great start. The main reason for this is that the characters are so superficial. Their actions are repeated with great regularity. Patrick’s rather adolescent obsession with sex becomes quite annoying after a while. Time and again he disturbsly expresses his desire to share the bed with every woman and after a while you know it.

The further story of ‘Mon pire cauchemar’ also has its flaws. Certainly the later plot twists feel obligatory and are hardly really interesting. A number of romances blossom, a number of relationships break down and the necessary arguments are made, it is all just a bit too much the obligatory script that is completed. The two sons, who nevertheless form the basis of the whole story, are also rarely discussed. You get the feeling that an excuse was needed for the characters of Agathe and Patrick to interact and that’s what the two kids were chosen for. A slightly better elaboration of the relationship between the sons and their parents could have provided the film with some much-needed extra drama and depth, something that is sorely missed.

Due to the above mentioned shortcomings, ‘Mon pire cauchemar’ has not managed to rise above the average. As a comedy, the film does hold its own at certain moments and the result is certainly not bad. However, the theme of a couple that is forced to get along against their own will, has been done so much more often and better. Unfortunately, the film does not distinguish itself sufficiently and too often falls into clichés. ‘Mon pire cauchemar’ will therefore not be long in your memory and can at best be described as a nice snack.