L'outremangeur (2003) User Reviews

Insipid, but beautifully crafted

[VisionThing · 7/10 · 22 November 2005]

I came to watch this only because it was on TV while I was sick and had absolutely nothing else to do. I did not know in advance that Eric Cantona (former soccer star of Manchester United and French national team fame) was in this. I had heard that he's making art films or somesuch nowadays, but thought his acting career couldn't consist of much more than cameos to attract attention.

This prejudice turned out to be ill-advised; Cantona is actually quite solid in this film playing an obsessively eating cop. Rachida Brakni is also a nice choice for Elsa, she's refreshingly different femme fatale. The rest of the cast is nothing special, but they suffice. Sadly the story is a bit too insipid and the characters too far stretched to really be emotionally effective.

I especially enjoyed the score of this movie -- the refined and beautiful music really elevates the film. Also the settings and cinematography are professional work. An ambitious movie, which falls a bit short but has enough artistic quality to be enjoyable.

Modern Retelling of Beauty and the Beast

[sapphire_dragon-1 · 7/10 · 4 February 2011]

Like all the other reviewers here I came across this film by accident on TV. I have to admit considering that obesity is a becoming a pandemic problem in Western countries it is surprising not more films are made about it and it's underlying problems. I think that was what I really loved about this film, it had a contemporary topic even if they used the story arc of the Beauty and the Beast fairytale. This a sophisticated and genuine film and even if it doesn't move you to tears it will definitely touch you.

Tip: Keep watching after credits, there is an extra scene. I don't really see the purpose of this scene but you can watch it for yourself and decide.

underrated

[kittagp · 7/10 · 25 February 2022]

This movie looks on the surface as one of those tittles made for tv.

The reason might be that it is not pretentious and goes around a trivial murder investigation.

On the other hand, not just the music, but a whole imaginary wraps the tone on being trapped and lonely. The obesity them is this extra overlay of the theme.

It is also lovely that as he is little by little loved, he correspondently looses the proportional weight.

The movie might be more valued by the timid or introspective.

The scenes where the obese detective and the gorgeous suspect dine together are colored in specific tones, literally and dramatically.

There is a line in one of those dining scenes- without it maybe i would not have liked this movie so much. It goes a bit like this: (He has given her a gift, and it is a calleidoscope):

_ What happens when you turn it around?

_ Who you are looking at looks back at you.

And it is so deep to me. Didn't want to spoil but i is very hard to get a hold of this movie, so I am giving you my impression of it. I even tried to buy it on amazon once but it wasn't available. I them bought "Read my lips"by the same writer/director Benacquista. It's ok.

As I was saying, it is in this scene that you understand that though she is there because he blackmailed her, she is in love with him. And then it strikes the time appointed and she is free to leave.

This review is also a critic to what we have today. Which is my homemade copy of this movie does not play on Dvds anymore but all this means is not protection from piracy, but taking things aways form people. The movie is not available for buying and we cannot watch it online, nor free nor by payment.

They make us consume what they want us to consume.

A heart wrenching tale.

[Zadan · 8/10 · 2 February 2006]

I managed, like the review above, to stumble upon this movie by accident. Basically it was on after another movie I was watching..

Now to the movie.

I can see people will either love or hate this movie, depending on your own experiences and loves. Its basically about a incredibly obese police officer coming to terms with his own mortality (he is given a year to live at the start of the movie). It has other bits and pieces in the plot (love, mystery etc), but these are not the central ideal of the movie.

I found myself crying in many parts of this movie, for myself being fat (and have been my entire life... of course not to the degree of the main actor, but to a degree which has caused bullying my entire life) this story hits very close to home. And some of the subtle emotional behind the scene's stuff here definitely adds to the mood.

Anyone who has had any sort of eating disorder (over or under eating whatever) will recognise things in this movie, and will more then likely be in tears by the first 30 minutes of the movie.

I hope this has been helpful.

Entertaining, Thought Provoking Movie

[artblose · 9/10 · 3 September 2003]

I am an admitted sucker for good French cinema, and this movie works on so many levels, I will be annoying friends for months praising this film's attributes.

This movie works as a murder mystery, love story, and character study. Eric Cantona (he's a sports star of some sort over there) is amazingly dignified and repressed as the police inspector with the magic touch, coupled with his dysfunctional eating habits and personal life. Rachida Brakni (fresh off her glorious performance in "Chaos"), lights up the screen as the potential killer/object of the commissioner's desires. The plot weaves in and out with skill, and the beautiful port of Marseilles should get equal billing along with the lead actors, used in much the same way as in the films of Robert Guédiguian.

This film should (if justice prevails) get distribution by Miramax/Sony Classics or someone with a half a brain, because for 90 short minutes, an amazing web is weaved. This is a great film, and American audiences should not be deprived of its charms.

See this once, and you will want to see it again.

Art Blose

Modern Fairy Tale

[atbaume · 9/10 · 31 January 2006]

For those reviewers who did not notice, did the content not strike you as somewhat familiar. This is a brilliant retelling of Beauty and the Beast, right down to the symbolism of the rose petals. Unsurprisingly some of the characterisation is a little stilted.

Eric Cantona is the best footballer I have ever seen, and was outstanding in the detective/beast role. His transformation happens in a pleasantly measured way. Ooh, aah, Cantona!

Rachida Brakni, of Moroccan descent, is truly cast as a "belle". As the constraints of the original force her to fall for the beast we are pretty certain she and the detective will eventually find something in each other. It is, however, very well played out and retains tension until the last scene.