A Masterpiece!

After playing with our expectations, this turns out to be a very different sort of film.

The tone of this movie is interesting -- the stakes are both dramatic and high, but it's balanced with a lot of fun, tongue and cheek dialogue.

A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Some movie get old well, other don't: this one is rather among the latter: I can't say it's bad but it is not as much fun as I thought it was. I watched it as a kid for sure but I can't remember if it was on screen or at TV. There is some funny moments and for sure this duo always works great and is among the best in french cinema but here the story is a bit far fetched: to find a goofy and unlucky woman in south America, the solution is to send a goofy and unlucky investigator… Well, like Gerard, I'm not really convinced and it's above all very repetitive and totally predictable… The Mexican locations adds a bit exoticism but at the end, it's not in my classics….

This movie is from 1981 and it shows ... Still, it is one of the (if not THE best one) best comedies I have ever seen. IT IS DEFINITELY A _MUST SEE_ . The acting is terrific and I have not enough praises for the plot.It is better than the other depardieu/richard/veber movies ("Les Fugitifs" and "Les compères" - Yet they are very funny as well). The actors are excellent and Veber is the recordman about the movies that have been remade by Hollywood - there must be a reason for that. that with the praise of the people that posted their opinion here should convince you to give it a try.To sum it up : you have to watch it !

This movie is by far the best comedy (french or otherwise) I have ever seen.If you haven't already seen it, it is a must. The story is totally original, it is delightful, smart, extremely funny and timeless. The casting is brilliant. Everybody knows that Pierre Richard is one of the best french comedian ever and his interpretation of "Pignon" is flawless, he is at the same time endearing, silly and funny. Nevertheless, in this movie, it is Gérard Depardieu's rough private eye character that, by far, steals the show. His interpretation of "Campana" alone his worth seeing. And, if for no other reason, you just have see how funny this "tough guy" can really be. He will make you double over with his strait to the point one liners. He is nothing less then hilarious. Truly a must.

The film seems to me to be the best comedy ever. Both Richard and Depardieu are wonderful. The film abounds in comic situations, but the dialogue is even better - lively, volatile, "French". It is both a comedy of situations and a comedy of words. This film is like a Mont Blanc among comedies. It's a pity that few people bother to vote for it. In Russia a generation grew up laughing at the characters of Richard, and this generation was far from being the worst. His films are pure joy.