REVIEW: Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown is a comedy about feeling better through unconventional methods

Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown (Hommes au bord de la crise de nerfs) is a comedy which is part of the Alliance Française French Film Festival, currently screening in cinemas around Australia. It is another film being screened at the AFFFF 2022 before its release in France (it is scheduled to come out in France in late May).

7 men going through crises sign up for a retreat of 4 days of psychological help. What they expect and what they get couldn’t be more different. Their first unpleasant surprise: this men’s retreat is being run by a woman. Omega is not a man as they thought but a woman, Dana (played by Marina Hands (from The Big Hit at last year’s AFFFF)). “How are they meant to speak openly about their problems with a woman?”, they ask. Secondly, this is not a 5-star resort but involves getting dirty, physical and very close to nature – forced to make their own sleeping quarters and forced to forage for their own food.

Omega’s unconventional methods see the men faced with daily challenges none of them were expecting to affront. Noé (Michaël Gregorio who starred as Julien Lopez in the mini-series Malaterra) seems perhaps the most in tune with these occasionally hippy methods but as the film progresses, we learn that he too needs the retreat to get in touch with his emotions.

The men are from all different walks of life, and at various stages of life from Eliott (Max Baissette de Malglaive (to our knowledge his debut on Australian screens), the 18-year-old with a child-like appearance, to Hippolyte, the 70-year-old widower played by Thierry Lhermitte (The Dinner Guest (L’invité) (2005) and The Closet (Le Placard) (2001)).

Rounding out the impressive cast are François-Xavier Demaison (Rolling to You (Tout le monde debout) and Normandy Nude (Normandie nue); Laurent Stocker (also showing in Goliath at this year’s AFFFF (read our review of that film here), and who was in The Big Hit (Le Triomphe), Bye Bye Morons (Adieu les cons) and De Gaulle at last year’s festival); Ramzy Bedia (Love Songs for Tough Guys (Cette musique ne joue pour personne) also at this year’s AFFFF – read our review of that film here)), and Pascal Demolon (who you may have seen as Camille’s father in the series In Therapy on SBS on Demand or in the film Dumas).

Beautifully shot in the nature of the Drôme department in the South-Western part of the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of France, Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown shows us the stunning French countryside with the mountains in the background.

Directed by Audrey Dana (French Women and If I Were a Boy), Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown is a charming film about men confronting difficult emotions and allowing themselves to throw down the barriers of masculinity. With many moments of lightness and comedy, the film also has moments of tenderness as the men let their guard down and reveal what has brought them to the camp.

Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown is a great film for men and women alike.

4 CROISSANTS

Matilda Marseillaise was a guest of the Alliance Française French Film Festival 2022

To find out when Men on the verge of a nervous breakdown is showing in your city, click here. 

READ OUR REVIEWS OF OTHER FILMS AT THE ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL

REVIEW: A Tale of Love and Desire: an exploration of religious and gender expectations in Paris

REVIEW: Fly Me Away – a predictable feel-good film

REVIEW: Goliath: Dirty tactics, word play, and misinformation abound

REVIEW: Love Songs for Tough Guys: a comedy about ageing gang members getting in touch with their softer sides

REVIEW: Mali Twist is a story of impossible love in revolutionary Mali

REVIEW: OSS 117: From Africa with Love – Jean Dujardin and Pierre Niney on screen together is a delight

REVIEW: Paul W.R’s Last Journey: an apocalyptic, vibrant sci-fi fantasy

REVIEW: Paris 13th District – a black and white story of love, lust and mistaken identity in current day Paris

REVIEW: The Braves: a film about the strength of friendship

KEY INFO FOR ALLIANCE FRANÇAISE FRENCH FILM FESTIVAL 2022

WHAT: Alliance Française French Film Festival

WHERE AND WHEN:

• Adelaide: 24^thMarch to 24^th April (Encore screenings: 25^th to 26^th April)
• Brisbane: 16^thMarch to 13^th April (Encore screenings: 14^th to 18^th April)
• Byron Bay: 30^thMarch to 14^th April (Encore screenings: 15^th to 16^th April)
• Hobart: 9^thto 20^th March
• Canberra: 2^nd March to 6^th April (Encore screenings: 7^th to 10^th April)
• Melbourne: 3^rd March to 6^th April (Encore screenings: 7^th to 10^th April)
• Parramatta: 7^thto 10^th April
• Perth: 9^th March to 6^th April (Encore screenings: 7^th to 10^th April)
• Sydney: 1^stMarch to 6^th April (Encore screenings: 7^th to 10^th April)

HOW: Discover the AFFFF 2022 programme here.