Artivels Undescribable Perfection

Ariella Broughton It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

Portia Hilton Blistering performances.

Juana what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

William Tremblay A genuine and often funny depiction of the relationships between monitors and children in a summer vacation camp. From romance to friendship, dancing to fighting, this French movie bring back good souvenirs of our childhood. It had been a while since I saw such a feel-good movie filled with sunshine and laughters. The characters were well defined and it does not take long before you get a good understanding of them. The dialogs were smooth but sharp, sweet but spicy. Truly a movie with heart and very well directed. Great job from all involved and props to all the young actors. It's was fun to see Omar Sy who was as good as always and there even was a guy from Quebec which is a plus for me. I strongly recommend it. 8.2/10

matlabaraque Nos Jours Heureux is definitely worth to watch. It has a lot of rhythm, authenticity and a lot of good and now very famous actors in France (despite what some of us wrote here). I would even dare to say it will become a cult movie. Several reasons for that: it's a comedy with famous phrases that will stick in your head, it appeals to everyone's childhood and the summer camp we used to attend to, the eccentricity and the authenticity of the characters allow them to have hilarious freak-outs that for sure you will remember. The movie describes perfectly the mood of such places. Anyone that has attended a summer camp like that would recall a camp counselor, a child or a chef De cuisine and for sure one or several of them who would have have been freak, violent, lady killer or simply misplaced and inappropriate. This film sums up it all. The stupid activities, the dishonesty of adults, the freak-outs, kids' tricks, adults' obsession for sex and maybe a subtle analysis of what is in an early-thirty year old adult's mind at a watershed of his history in life. I found that last thing very subtle and very interesting in addition to all the laughters it provided. Enjoy !

dbdumonteil Leisure centers for children haven't been often at the core of films in French cinema. That said, thirty years before "Nos Jours Heureux", Claude Millers' debut film "La Meilleure Façon De Marcher" (1976) used this type of place as a backdrop to depict an ambiguous relationship between two counselors who were admirably portrayed by Patrick Deweare and Patrick Bouchitey. And at a pinch, one could also quote Gérard Jugnot's "Scout Toujours..." (1985).But here, it's a true children's holiday camp that is depicted here. Set in 1992, a manager Vincent (Jean Paul Rouve) has to run a children's holiday camp for three weeks and to face the unexpected concerning the place, his colleagues, various problems linked to children about the rooms, trips, their belongings. Very often, what seem at first little problems end up becoming great ones which can sometimes be solved in a curious and humorist way.Because it's the tone used by the two directors to relate these crazy three weeks. I must admit it's a shame they have recourse to clichés to depict several types of counselors between shy Caroline, seducing Lisa who doesn't leave Vincent indifferent, big mouth Daniel. OK, these stereotypes are the motors to several comical sequences but I would have liked more originality. The same goes for the kids between the witty one, the anguished one who keeps on asking a thousand questions about all and nothing. And of course, girls are one of their biggest interests during their holidays.That said, the energy of the actors, the nostalgic look adopted by the directors, the funny ways big problems are solved or circumvented are enough to honestly have fun and to spend a really good time in front of this vibrant comedy although it is cluttered with clichés. But as they're not too overwhelming, one can forget them without any remorse. One will also forget a too cozy end.

rafdesign I saw it at the Colcoa film festival here in L.A. It was a delight, so fresh, so full of life and such a fluid camera/directing. It won the COLCOA 2006 prize and after a week of great movies this one was my favorite. It reminds me somehow the freshness of movies by Cedric Klapish, another great director. There were no major actors in the film, which probably was for budget reasons. But it is refreshing to watch a movie without a celebrity wearing the pants of regular people. It was a great experience to hear the audience enjoying it an laughing so much. How often do I laugh watching a movie that often? Everyone left the DGA theater so happy after the movie! Maybe I am biased, but I hope that movie will be at some point released in the US. I just want people to have a great time like I did.