Europe is generally regarded as more relaxed towards sex than America, and that involves even the way European cinema industries handle issues of alternative sexuality. An example can be found in The Closet, 2001 French comedy written and directed by Francis Veber.
The protagonist, played by Daniel Auteiul, is François Pignon, modest and quiet accountant in rubber factory. His lack of strong character and inability to make impression on people around him has costed him marriage to wife Christine (played by Alexandra Vandernoot) and now even threatens his job, since the factory management considers him dispensable. Convinced that he has nothing left to live for, he contemplates suicide before he is at the last moment prevented by Jean-Pierre Belone (played by Michel Aumont), his neighbour and retired industrial psychologist. He gets brilliant idea how to save Pignon’s job. Pignon will simply “come out closet” and announce to anyone his homosexuality. Not actually being gay isn’t the problem, since couple of doctored photographs sent to Kopel (played by Jean Rochefort), factory manager, is enough to create concern over gay rights organisations protests and Kopel decides to keep Pignon at his job. But this isn’t the only consequence of Pignon’s revelation. Santini (played by Gerard Depardieu), macho chief of factory’s staff and rugby team coach, is afraid that he would get sacked because of homophobia, so he tries to present his allege tolerant nature with sometimes overly explicit displays of fondness towards Pignon. Franck’s teenage son Franck (played by Stanislas Crevillen) is, on the other hand, suddenly thrilled to have father who had secret “wild” side and starts hailing him as hero. Some, on the other hand, begin to suspect that Pignon isn’t exactly forthcoming about his true sexual orientation. That includes Mademoiselle Bertrand (played by Michèlr Laroque), charming chief accountant who takes some extreme measures to test her subordinate.
Francis Veber, prolific playwright, screenwriter and director, has handled gay issues before, most notably in his script for 1978 comedy Le Cage aux folles which featured gay protagonist pretending to be straight. That film was, like many of his work, remade into Hollywood films. This isn’t likely to happen with The Closet which inverts basic premise, because in our more “politically correct” and more enlightened times, films dealing with those issues simply don’t look as groundbreaking as decades ago. The Closet, furthermore, gives impression of not fulfilling its humoristic and satirical potentials. Best gags are quickly spent and often aren’t too funny, so The Closet at times looks long despite having only 80 minutes of running time. General impression is, on the other hand, saved by excellent cast including some of the most respected names of French cinema. Daniel Auteuil, actor best known for his serious dramatic roles, seems quite at ease playing comic role. Gerard Depardieu is also great in his role. Despite being not as good as it should have been, The Closet is still very entertaining film that clearly show why French cinema was such a valuable source of ideas for unimaginative Hollywood.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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