‘The Party's Over' Review: South of France-Set Satire Follows an Escalating Class Conflict
'The Party's Over' is a mostly entertaining satire that follows the escalating conflict between an entitled rich couple, the Trousselards, and the Azizis, the husband and wife they employ (off the books and at less than market rates) to look after their luxurious holiday home. Both families have young adult daughters, near in age, albeit not in circumstance. Compared to a similarly-themed film such as 'Parasite,' it lacks the sharpness of plot and empathetic characters that would make it truly memorable. Nonetheless, the piece has a number of things going for it: top actors obviously relishing their roles, some amusing dialogue, a lovely villa location in the south of France and an attractive musical score by Clémence Ducreux that sounds both serious and mocking. Festivals and screening platforms rep the most likely venues outside of French-speaking countries to host the 'Party.'
Snobbish, self-important Philippe (Laurent Lafitte, suitably obnoxious), a lawyer given to throwing obscure Latin locutions into his everyday speech, and his former actress wife Laurence (the elegant Élodie Bouchez) welcome young law graduate Mehdi (Sami Outabali, the most sympathetic character), the latest boyfriend of their wannabe actress daughter Garance (Noée Abita). That Mehdi comes from a different – and lower– social class is immediately obvious. Not only has he worked his way through school as a waiter and delivery boy, but he lacks the social graces of his hosts. From their point of view, everything he does is slightly off, from his clothing choices to his hostess gift to his conversation.
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For the Trousselards, cushioned as they are by their money, seem to feel that those in service to them should be at their beck and call. Thus, Philippe feels justified in interrupting the Azizi's birthday dinner celebration for their daughter Marylou (Mahia Zrouki) to get Tony (Ramzy Bedia) to fix a clogged sink. And Laurence feels free to tell Tony to refrain from going about his chores shirtless and to ask his wife Nadine (Laure Calamy, delightful) to be careful of smears when she cleans their windows.
The Trousselards don't hesitate to dispense unsolicited advice to Mehdi, too. Laurence explains that the reason that Philippe's firm hires sons of lawyers as interns is because they have confidence and know the milieu of the clients. She tells Mehdi that he is too polite and apologetic.
When Philippe's condescending manner finally provokes Tony, who likes a drink or two, into an attack that Philippe considers unforgivable, he decides to dismiss the Azizis. But Tony and Nadine prove resistant. As tensions rise, Mehdi offers himself for the dangerous role of go-between, to negotiate a settlement between the warring sides.
Along the way, the screenplay aptly skewers Philippe's type, the sort of man who delights in cooking the produce of his organic garden, pairing expensive wines with his meals, yet doesn't know the correct temperature at which to wash a load of whites. The acting profession also comes in for a few jabs. Laurence launched her career as a skimpily-clad ingenue. When Mehdi tells her the name of his father's favorite film, she notes wryly, 'That film captured the male imagination. But don't worry, I've made some with clothes on too.' To prepare for her first role, Garance tries and fails to summon tears, but by the film's end, she finds that she can make them flow all too easily when recounting a fiction of supreme importance to her family.
Helmer Cordier assembles an ace ensemble, whose acting choices are always fun to watch. A particular standout scene comes when Calamy insists that Bouchez (who also lounges by a pool in a swimsuit in the Directors' Fortnight opener 'Enzo') join her in a hot tub.
'Party' marks Cordier's fourth feature. It screens in the Directors' Fortnight 20 years after his feature debut, 'Cold Showers.'
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