Aficionados of the TV series can only shake their heads in disbelief at the way "Absolutely Fabulous" has been transposed to the big screen in France. The movie has all the outward appearances of the original concept but none of its scathing wit and cruel humor.
Nor has headlining two of France's most popular actresses stopped the movie from fizzling at the boxoffice. It had fewer than 94,500 admissions on its first day.
"Absolutely Fabulous" follows the erstwhile Eddie Mousson (Josiane Balasko) and best friend Patsy (Nathalie Baye) as they stagger through their daily regime of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Eddie and Patsy have been best Friends Forever. They revolted together in '68, burned their bras at Woodstock and partied all summer in Ibiza. Now they are approaching their 50s, living in grotesque splendor in Paris.
Along the way, Eddie had a daughter, Safrane (Marie Gillain), who is a bitter disappointment to her mother: She's intelligent, anti-drink, anti-drugs and a virgin. It's this role reversal that provides the motor for the movie's comedy.
When Eddie and Patsy take their outrageous behavior just that little bit too far, Safrane is there to clear up the mess. In a very simplistic and heavy-handed fashion, director Gabriel Aghion gives us a series of sketches where the two main characters endlessly repeat the same mode of behavior. They drink champagne, snort drugs, wear frighteningly offensive clothes and try to have sex with any man who wanders into their field of vision. And always, but always, Safrane is there in the background, disapproval oozing from every pore.
Once or twice, it could be funny. Any more times and it's, well, depressing.
Perhaps the worst crime committed against the original series is to give the French Eddie a conscience. Much of the original humor stemmed from the fact that Eddie -- and Patsy -- are completely without scruples. They will step over anything and anyone to get what they want. So why does Eddie moan to Patsy that deep down she feels that she has failed as a mother?
Balasko plays Eddie at full speed. She's a cartoon character -- all grand gestures, shrieking hysteria and loud clothes. Baye plays a much more subtle Patsy. True, she's still an overblown vamp, but Baye manages to suggest a woman for whom the attractions of a life of excess are wearing thin.
Cameo roles abound -- Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Gauthier and the original Eddie herself, Jennifer Saunders, all turn up. It makes you wonder how they feel to be in a movie that might more aptly be titled "Absolutely Disastrous".
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
Josy Films, Mosca Films,
Sans Contrefa...
Nor has headlining two of France's most popular actresses stopped the movie from fizzling at the boxoffice. It had fewer than 94,500 admissions on its first day.
"Absolutely Fabulous" follows the erstwhile Eddie Mousson (Josiane Balasko) and best friend Patsy (Nathalie Baye) as they stagger through their daily regime of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Eddie and Patsy have been best Friends Forever. They revolted together in '68, burned their bras at Woodstock and partied all summer in Ibiza. Now they are approaching their 50s, living in grotesque splendor in Paris.
Along the way, Eddie had a daughter, Safrane (Marie Gillain), who is a bitter disappointment to her mother: She's intelligent, anti-drink, anti-drugs and a virgin. It's this role reversal that provides the motor for the movie's comedy.
When Eddie and Patsy take their outrageous behavior just that little bit too far, Safrane is there to clear up the mess. In a very simplistic and heavy-handed fashion, director Gabriel Aghion gives us a series of sketches where the two main characters endlessly repeat the same mode of behavior. They drink champagne, snort drugs, wear frighteningly offensive clothes and try to have sex with any man who wanders into their field of vision. And always, but always, Safrane is there in the background, disapproval oozing from every pore.
Once or twice, it could be funny. Any more times and it's, well, depressing.
Perhaps the worst crime committed against the original series is to give the French Eddie a conscience. Much of the original humor stemmed from the fact that Eddie -- and Patsy -- are completely without scruples. They will step over anything and anyone to get what they want. So why does Eddie moan to Patsy that deep down she feels that she has failed as a mother?
Balasko plays Eddie at full speed. She's a cartoon character -- all grand gestures, shrieking hysteria and loud clothes. Baye plays a much more subtle Patsy. True, she's still an overblown vamp, but Baye manages to suggest a woman for whom the attractions of a life of excess are wearing thin.
Cameo roles abound -- Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Gauthier and the original Eddie herself, Jennifer Saunders, all turn up. It makes you wonder how they feel to be in a movie that might more aptly be titled "Absolutely Disastrous".
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
Josy Films, Mosca Films,
Sans Contrefa...
Aficionados of the TV series can only shake their heads in disbelief at the way "Absolutely Fabulous" has been transposed to the big screen in France. The movie has all the outward appearances of the original concept but none of its scathing wit and cruel humor.
Nor has headlining two of France's most popular actresses stopped the movie from fizzling at the boxoffice. It had fewer than 94,500 admissions on its first day.
"Absolutely Fabulous" follows the erstwhile Eddie Mousson (Josiane Balasko) and best friend Patsy (Nathalie Baye) as they stagger through their daily regime of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Eddie and Patsy have been best Friends Forever. They revolted together in '68, burned their bras at Woodstock and partied all summer in Ibiza. Now they are approaching their 50s, living in grotesque splendor in Paris.
Along the way, Eddie had a daughter, Safrane (Marie Gillain), who is a bitter disappointment to her mother: She's intelligent, anti-drink, anti-drugs and a virgin. It's this role reversal that provides the motor for the movie's comedy.
When Eddie and Patsy take their outrageous behavior just that little bit too far, Safrane is there to clear up the mess. In a very simplistic and heavy-handed fashion, director Gabriel Aghion gives us a series of sketches where the two main characters endlessly repeat the same mode of behavior. They drink champagne, snort drugs, wear frighteningly offensive clothes and try to have sex with any man who wanders into their field of vision. And always, but always, Safrane is there in the background, disapproval oozing from every pore.
Once or twice, it could be funny. Any more times and it's, well, depressing.
Perhaps the worst crime committed against the original series is to give the French Eddie a conscience. Much of the original humor stemmed from the fact that Eddie -- and Patsy -- are completely without scruples. They will step over anything and anyone to get what they want. So why does Eddie moan to Patsy that deep down she feels that she has failed as a mother?
Balasko plays Eddie at full speed. She's a cartoon character -- all grand gestures, shrieking hysteria and loud clothes. Baye plays a much more subtle Patsy. True, she's still an overblown vamp, but Baye manages to suggest a woman for whom the attractions of a life of excess are wearing thin.
Cameo roles abound -- Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Gauthier and the original Eddie herself, Jennifer Saunders, all turn up. It makes you wonder how they feel to be in a movie that might more aptly be titled "Absolutely Disastrous".
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
Josy Films, Mosca Films,
Sans Contrefa...
Nor has headlining two of France's most popular actresses stopped the movie from fizzling at the boxoffice. It had fewer than 94,500 admissions on its first day.
"Absolutely Fabulous" follows the erstwhile Eddie Mousson (Josiane Balasko) and best friend Patsy (Nathalie Baye) as they stagger through their daily regime of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll. Eddie and Patsy have been best Friends Forever. They revolted together in '68, burned their bras at Woodstock and partied all summer in Ibiza. Now they are approaching their 50s, living in grotesque splendor in Paris.
Along the way, Eddie had a daughter, Safrane (Marie Gillain), who is a bitter disappointment to her mother: She's intelligent, anti-drink, anti-drugs and a virgin. It's this role reversal that provides the motor for the movie's comedy.
When Eddie and Patsy take their outrageous behavior just that little bit too far, Safrane is there to clear up the mess. In a very simplistic and heavy-handed fashion, director Gabriel Aghion gives us a series of sketches where the two main characters endlessly repeat the same mode of behavior. They drink champagne, snort drugs, wear frighteningly offensive clothes and try to have sex with any man who wanders into their field of vision. And always, but always, Safrane is there in the background, disapproval oozing from every pore.
Once or twice, it could be funny. Any more times and it's, well, depressing.
Perhaps the worst crime committed against the original series is to give the French Eddie a conscience. Much of the original humor stemmed from the fact that Eddie -- and Patsy -- are completely without scruples. They will step over anything and anyone to get what they want. So why does Eddie moan to Patsy that deep down she feels that she has failed as a mother?
Balasko plays Eddie at full speed. She's a cartoon character -- all grand gestures, shrieking hysteria and loud clothes. Baye plays a much more subtle Patsy. True, she's still an overblown vamp, but Baye manages to suggest a woman for whom the attractions of a life of excess are wearing thin.
Cameo roles abound -- Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Paul Gauthier and the original Eddie herself, Jennifer Saunders, all turn up. It makes you wonder how they feel to be in a movie that might more aptly be titled "Absolutely Disastrous".
ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS
Josy Films, Mosca Films,
Sans Contrefa...
- 10/9/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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