This is the story of four French friends: the Greek (an osteopath), Fifi (who lives with his mother), Fortuné (a West Indian) and Freddy (a gambler). They meet up regularly at a Parisian bookmakers’, their favourite haunt. Tired of frittering away the little spare cash they have, they agree to give up gambling. But no sooner have they taken this pledge than Fate intervenes, in the guise of the turf king, Monsieur Paul. The latter persuades the four friends to buy a champion racehorse, not knowing that it is in fact an old nag…
Acting
Alain Chabat's exasperated everyman; the whole cast's lived-in chemistry.
Writing
Classic French scam-comedy construction, no surprises, all comfort.
Director
Fabien Onteniente
Alain Chabat
Le Grec
Édouard Baer
Freddy
Philippe Duquesne
Fifi
Lucien Jean-Baptiste
Fortuné
Vahina Giocante
Banette
Sergi López
Monsieur Delgado
Gérard Depardieu
Monsieur Paul
Héléna Noguerra
Christine
Nozha Khouadra
Monique
Abbes Zahmani
Maurice
Marthe Villalonga
Mme Garcia
Charles Gérard
Casquette
Peggy Leray
Claire
Xavier Beauvois
Commissaire Dubiton
Alexis Moncorgé
Belin
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Fabien Onteniente built his career on working-class French ensemble comedies; this is pure comfort-food cinema for domestic audiences.
The film's 4.7 TMDB score reflects its complete absence from international conversation—barely released outside France, it's a time capsule of 2010s French popular comedy.
FR
