Colibel Terrible acting, screenplay and direction.

Flyerplesys Perfectly adorable

Nessieldwi Very interesting film. Was caught on the premise when seeing the trailer but unsure as to what the outcome would be for the showing. As it turns out, it was a very good film.

Darin One of the film's great tricks is that, for a time, you think it will go down a rabbit hole of unrealistic glorification.

johnnyboyz My Best Friend is the sort of fluffy, inconsequential comedic concept movie one needs to be in a set mood to enjoy. It's absolutely harmless, but then that's part of the problem; it's predictable and a tad slight, but then we pretend we don't realise exactly where it's heading from a relatively early point and just try to go with it. Its politics are all in working order, but it sticks so much to the straight and narrow that it's difficult to get involved in a film that's so adept to staying in neutral. It's the sort of film that feeds off a nonsensical quirk of fate during its finale purely for the dramatic effect and so that it's central character arc may reach a natural conclusion in the most un-natural of ways. It's trite and difficult to like but I'd be lying if I said I hated it; a film with one of those really Americanised concept comedy sensibilities in that depicts two ordinarily oddball people thrust together into a chain of cause and effect that you come away from feeling you should have disliked more. Not every film needs to bite from a particular cherry akin to that of Before Sunrise, but with no invention; little visual flair and that annoying cut-'n'-thrust approach to its material on top of a screenplay playing it safe, it's little wonder there is very little about which to get excited in this mainstream French comedy.The film first and foremost revolves around a wealthy middle aged art dealer named François, played by Daniel Auteuil. I like Daniel Auteuil. We all do. Here, he plays someone who we're meant to entrust is ruthless enough to attend someone's funeral, not out of the fact he's grieving for the fellow, but because there is business and such surrounding said event, while failing to attend would be bad for business. The problem being that even if for a second we thought François was the kind of guy with a ruthless streak, who casually speaks down a cell phone during a guy's last rites, it's DANIEL AUTEUIL we're talking about here – that likable actor whose been in some pretty decent films in the past playing some pretty decent chaps. A similar issue was the bane of 1999's The Lost Son, wherein he played a private investigator who we were supposed to believe snapped Jack Carter-like upon uncovering a kiddie prostitute ring. Not for one SECOND do we believe Auteuil as the "ruthless art dealer", or some kind of opportunist with an eye on a cash prize at the end of a good business slog.François, aside from anything else, is a loner when away from work. He loiters with some folks already in their social circles, but is so out of touch with them he wasn't even aware one of them was homosexual. While they're all out at dinner with each other, François' social situation of not really having any bonds with anyone is raised. Thinking that clients count as mates, it's pointed out that knowing OF people and working WITH people is not the same as being their friends. The funereal from the opening arises, and the straw that breaks François' apparent back is when he realises that very few people will likely come to HIS funeral. François agrees to a bet with his accomplices: that he can find and maintain a healthy friendship with someone within ten days. Not nine, or eleven – not seven days (one week). Ten.The catalyst is a little weak, but the issue the writers face reads something like: why would someone of François' nature and stature agree to a bet of this nature instead of just laughing off what these people are saying to him and walking away to resume whatever successes he brings to himself? Meanwhile, meet the nicest damn cabbie in the world: Dany Boon's Bruno, a softly spoken; smiling trivia enthusiast who ferries people around without a fuss but bores his customers with his endless talk of fun facts and trivial information. Like François, he speaks and engages with his "clients" but it seems mistakes what they say to one other for genuine conversation and that sense of 'getting to know someone'. He is ultimately friendless all the same, and it is François who happens upon his taxi in the space post-bet. Throughout, there is supposed to be this ambiguity over whether François is genuinely interested in building a friendship or if he's just got his eyes on the large prize at the end of it should he blag a mate in a week and a bit. No worries, for come the end..... Well, need I go on?Those who liked 2003's "Apres Vous", more than I did, wherein Auteuil proceeded down similar routes in loitering with someone under madcap circumstances, might enjoy it but that film was a pretty decent love story and lent its comedy more towards farce which worked better than it had any right to. We don't buy Auteuil as who he is, and we're not a hundred per cent on Boon as a Parisian taxi driver who hasn't been this madcap or scatty since Samy Naceri tore up said city's streets in his converted Peugeot all those years ago. The film is bland and harmless, and I did not take to it.

lastliberal There is no wonder that François (Daniel Auteuil) doesn't have any friends. He arranges to see an antique with the widow at a man's funeral. He can't even wait a respectable time. He only thinks of himself when he overbids on a Greek vase with the gallery's money.His partner Catherine (Julie Gayet), who he didn't even know was a lesbian, bets he has no friends. She bets the vase and gives him 10 days to produce a friend.He quickly finds out that no one likes him.Auteuil was fantastic in last night's The Closet, and he has the same hound dog expression in this film. He was boring in that film; here he is just self centered. He even resorts to Dial-a-Friend.He resorts to getting lessons from a cabbie, Bruno Bouley (Dany Boon), who makes friends easily, but he even blows that, his one chance at friendship.He makes up for it secretly, and the two end up as friends.Writer/director Patrice Leconte had a great film, and I certainly want to see more of his work.

Gordon-11 This film is about a wealthy antique dealer who does not know what friendship is. Due to a bet, he has to find a best friend in 10 days."Mon Meilleur Ami" is a beautiful film. The portrayal of François Coste is realistically unlikable. His social inaptness is very funny, and his search for friendship is hilarious. The humour is subtle but it works well. Bruno, a normally bright and sociable guy, has moments that he becomes paralysed by anxiety. Dany Boon plays his part very well, especially towards the end when he is on stage. He is likable, giving off a positive and almost irresistible charm. I feel so sorry for him as I feel he could have achieved so much more with his knowledge.The friendship between them is portrayed in a realistic and humane manner, which viewers will have no problems relating to. For the ending, everything falls into place and I feel very touched by it. To see all the closure and forgiveness is very satisfying. I enjoyed watching "Mon Meilleur Ami" a lot.

MartinHafer I have noticed that some reviewers call this a comedy. Well, although at the beginning there are some mildly funny moments, the overall mood of the film isn't comedic and the movie is far deeper than just a comedy. It's much more of a sweet drama about a very lonely man (Daniel Auteuil) who doesn't realize just how lonely and miserable a person he is.It all starts at a dinner party. Auteuil is there with his business partner and others when suddenly the conversation becomes very painful and dark. One of the guests says to Auteuil that he has absolutely no friends--at which point all his supposed friends there at the table admit that they aren't his friends but business associates. Then, in a moment of panic, he bets his partner that he DOES indeed have friends. The problem, however, is that after the dinner is complete, Auteuil sits down to assess his life and realizes he has no friends at all--and this follows his asking those he is close to if they are his friends. You feel a bit sorry for the guy, as his life has been all business, but on the other hand, he is a very selfish guy who uses people for his own benefit.A bit later, he meets a neurotic cab driver (Dany Boon) who seems to have many friends. This actually is NOT true, but Boon instead plays a man who is friendly to everyone around him, though he, too, is quite friendless. Part of this is because he's been hurt and part of this is because the guy is obsessed with trivia and this really annoys many around him. However, Auteuil doesn't realize Boon's annoying side and actually offers to pay him to learn to make friends.Not unexpectedly, over time the two men do become friends, of a sort, though Auteuil STILL is doing this mostly for the wrong reason--to win a bet. Once Boon realizes this, their budding friendship is over and the two part. Only then does Auteuil realize how much he misses his new friend and he concocts a plan to make amends.While this very strange film is a bit hard to believe--after all this IS an odd plot--it is an exceptional film. In many ways it's a lot like the French farce, THE DINNER GAME ("Le Dîner de cons") but with a much more somber tone and much more depth to the relationship over time. I really enjoyed both, though THE DINNER GAME was clearly a comedy. MON MEILLEU AMI is more--much more. It's a film about people and it's exceptionally well acted, written and directed. I have always loved Auteuil in films but the rest of the cast (in particular Boon) were terrific and this little film might surprise you and touch your heart. A lovely little film that is too good to be missed.