I AM getting BETTER, comedy therapy – Review

For its latest comedy, I’M doing BETTER, Jean-Pierre Améris has adapted the eponymous novel by David Foenkinos, and tackles the evil in the dos, evil of the century, as the consequence of poor communication in the world.

We love the comedies of director Jean-Pierre Améris for their gentleness and vulnerability which emerges from the male characters. And we love his work in general for what it says about the relationship to the other and communication difficulties. Met during the presentation I’M doing BETTER in Bordeaux, Jean-Pierre Améris said “love in the books when someone speaks to him to the ear”. No wonder, therefore, that the eponymous novel by David Foenkinos (also the co-director of the Jealous), he has both liked and that he identified at this point for his main character. The producer always puts on a great part autobiographical in his comedies, and as Lawrence “suffers all the time in the back, has a hard time saying no, still has a lot of neuroses and frustrations”. He found “great the premise of the treat through the back pain all the pain: the work, the wear and tear of time in the couple, the children who leave home, the parents to whom we never spoke”.

Because Laurent has taken the bad habit of saying yes to everyone and allowing others to enter his territory. Without being aware of it, it has never had its limits, nor really had the codes to communicate, argue and win. He is absent himself. His entourage took the opportunity, as the chief who harasses him and even his wife (Judith El Zein), who does not take gloves to speak to him. His parents still treat him like a child, not listening to no, or minimizing its problems. His best friend dentist (Ary Abittan) is not at rest, self-centered on his relationship with his wife. Painter, it persists, moreover, to paint pictures of which the main theme is a large open mouth, in the manner of the Cry of Munch. The symbol of what lives in Lawrence, in sum : the great silent cry of a man inhibited.

“Even if this is not the best comedy of Jean-Pierre Améris, I’LL BETTER rest a movie with therapeutic properties certain.”

Because I’M doing BETTER is obviously a film about the place that a man is hard to find in society and in his own life. On a world that a golden anniversary is built on a foundation that seemed solid, but which will collapse. And when the words do not go out, it is well known that these are the ills that take over. The body is always remember to the good memory of the spirit to express itself, the duality that we still know enough evil in our western culture. A lock jumps up and the dam broke. In fact, for Lawrence, it is his back that will remind him sharply that he exists. Ensue, then of the scenes quite tasty, showing the medical history and the esoteric in which Laurent starts to understand the origin of evil and to get better.

David Foenkinos had had the good idea to talk about his character, about the evolution of the back pain, and of the stages through which he passed, noting his state of mind and the intensity of his pain. Jean-Pierre Améris, who has not adapted the novel with the author, has not chosen the option of voice-overs. So, having no other clues on the screen that those of the curve of the back and ouch repetitive, the viewer remains too remote sensations and feelings of the hero. All this time, this is not Benoît Poelvoorde (as in The emotional anonymous , or A family to rent) that interprets the alter ego of the director, but Eric Elmosnino (endangered Species). And this is perhaps where the problem lies. Because if it has been chosen by the director to ” his very human side, very fragile, frail and tired“, it lacks, alas, the sweet madness poelvoordienne described in the novel. The empathy that we felt for the Lawrence original is absolutely not caused by the character that the actor made up, with hair décoiffés, and the haggard look of a hen that has found a fork. His pain does not cause questions and is not moving, it is simply irritating.

Jean-Pierre Améris has also wanted to offer a vision of the novel “less psychological and much more dreamlike, like a fantasy with comic situations and a story of initiation into the Don Quixote”. By means of lovely visual metaphors related to the work of architect Lawrence, the director manages very well to capture the poetry and the “grace of the human being locked up, which is released by the communication”. But these situations are unfortunately not all of equal quality. All the scenes related to the world of work are fair and fun, both those related to the circle of family, friends, and lovers are enough poussives and somewhat believable, seeming to surjouées and triggering not the smile but the uneasiness.

Even if this is not the best comedy of Jean-Pierre Améris, I’LL BETTER rest a movie with therapeutic properties, some, in which the spectators in suffering will find solace.

Sylvie-Noelle

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