Have you ever heard of Lambert Wilson? He’s a well known and prolific French actor. While he appears mostly in French films today, you may have caught him in English-language productions as well. He has performed in Matrix Reloaded and Matrix Revolutions (2001), Catwoman (2004), and, most recently, Babylon A.D. (2007) with Vin Diesel and Charlotte Rampling. Lambert Wilson is the son of the famous actor Georges Wilson, who played Captain Haddock in the 1961 production of Tin Tin and the Golden Fleece and was the former director of the Théâtre National Populaire.
I’ve seen two recent movies that Wilson has performed in and loved them both: Barbecue (2014) with Franck Dubosc and Florence Foresti and Alceste à bicyclette (English title: Bicycling with Molière, 2013) with Fabrice Luchini and Maya Sansa. Both films are available for streaming on Netflix with English subtitles — a great way to improve your French!
Barbecue is a hilarious ensemble comedy directed by Eric Lavaine about a group of college friends who are trying to keep their friendships intact following twenty some-odd years. When the ringleader of the group, Antoine (played by Wilson), has a minor heart attack, he resolves to change his life, even if that means hiding nothing, becoming less tolerant of things that annoy him, and resolving to have more fun. This, of course, changes his relationship with his group of friends. As they vacation in a beautiful house in the Midi region of France, the tension in the group (divorce, affairs, and money problems) come to a head when Antoine can no longer keep silent. This film speaks poignantly to the power of old friendships, but also has many slap-stick moments that will have you laughing out loud.
Alceste à bicyclette is a more reserved comedy-drama that will appeal to fans of Molière and modern French cinema. Lambert Wilson plays Gauthier Valence, a successful French TV actor who has a passion for classic French theatre and wants to stage a production of Molière’s La Misanthrope. He travels to l’île de Ré, a popular vacation destination off the coast of La Rochelle, in order to convince his old friend Serge, played by Fabrice Luchini, to take the supporting role of Philinte in his play, while Valence will take the lead role of Alceste. But Serge has had a nervous breakdown and swears he will never act again. As the two rehearse their lines, the two begin to embody Molière’s characters both in rehearsal and in real life.
Watch one, or both, of these recent French movies starring Lambert Wilson and let me know what you think about them in the comments below!
