PATTAYA, a thai seaside town famous for its climate, its low cost and its sex tourism, it is the paradise of “bastards”. For his second feature film, Franck Gastambide therefore remains in his comfort zone, his familiar universe that is the suburbs. This being the case, building on the success of her first album in 2012 with The Noog, and in the lineage of all the suites that were breaking (The Tuche 2, Babysitting 2, Brice de Nice 2, The control Tower of hell 2) it would have been able to settle for the ease with a Noog 2 but this does not look like her.
Self-taught, initially trainer of pets (especially dogs), Franck Gastambide began in the cinema as such on The Crimson Rivers. Attracted by the world of cinema and the pleasure of his encounters, he then created his own web series, Noog Shopping, and then his first feature film, which was the most profitable film of 2012. If it comes again here the theme of the youth of the suburbs this is not for lack of creativity but just because that is what speaks to him the most, to him as to his public. PATTAYA is as well, again, a film that is very generational and a little splitting. But it is a choice taken. More rhythmic, more developed and less winded than the previous one, the result is efficient, in the registry.
PATTAYA, this is the story of Franky and Krimo (Franck Gastambide and Malik Bentalha), two small “men” who dream of a vacation in this place where everything would be accessible : the girls, the nightclubs, the parties, the “kiff”. To do so, they have the brilliant idea to lead to Karim, a dwarf of their neighborhood, a journey whose purpose is to compete with the champion of thai boxing of the dwarves, only on condition of support of the stay for the challenger and his “team”. Karim (Anouar Toubali) is, of course, not informed of what to expect even if it is suspect the sudden interest with which it is worn. It accepts, however, in the hope of finally appreciate and respect in his neighborhood.
The subject is funny, but contrary to what one might imagine the film does not fall in the absurd. The schoolboy humor very first degree and the presence of actors such as Ramzy Bedia and Gad Elmaleh left but to assume that the film would merely be a succession of valves to be easy, without a coherent scenario, or even just a rant of this band of buddies happy to be on a shoot. Surprisingly, this is not the case. Of course a number of elements of the film are at the service of the comedy. The side “gaguesque” are caused by situations not necessarily credible, but no matter since it works. Admittedly, the humor is very “pee-poo” but not only that, there are a effort of writing behind in order to limit the accumulation or excess that would have been harmful. Thus, there is a story that holds the road and that we even keep in suspense until the end, which was not won in advance.
“PATTAYA still a very first degree that does not please everyone, but leaves happy look, even for non-followers of this kind of comedy.”
The characters are quite funny, especially the one interpreted by Ramzy Bedia , who seems to have put his talent to the service of the director in a sincere way, leaving for once his air a little arrogant side. Overall, despite the side of a caricature of their role, they are all quite natural. All except Gad Elmaleh “The Moroccan” – in-chief of the clan, an army of dwarves over-training for the fight. Integrated in the casting last, at his own request, one can easily understand that Franck Gastambide , was not able to accept such a bargain, especially from a point of view marketing strategy of the film. This being said, finding his role less fun than others, he convinced the director to rewrite it for him. If some aspects added of his own initiative (which we let you the surprise) are quite a good idea on paper, we cannot say that his performance has well served… too much wanting to force the line to get in before it becomes clownish and denotes compared to the film that just tries to stay out of the absurd.
Regarding the achievement, in the image of Franck Gastambide, it could be qualified of friendly. It remains that it is a low budget film but that seems to have been not badly exploited, with a few originalities. It is thought to include references to gross and voluntary Kickboxer, at the level of the sets and fight scenes. The true role played by the orangutan, who seems to share a real complicity with Franck Gastambide is also a plus, as Sabrina Ouazani whose side has a very “pissed off” spices up a number of scenes.
In the end, PATTAYA is still a very first degree that does not please everyone, but leave happy to watch, even for non-followers of this kind of comedies. For the target audience, by contrast, the effectiveness of the film leaves no doubt, picking up wisely the codes and actors “references” of the genre.
Stephanie Ayache
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