That was an excellent one.

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

To all those who have watched it: I hope you enjoyed it as much as I do.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

Some people are like sticking plasters, just when you think you finally got rid of them, they strike back. And they can't stop talking, oblivious to the fact that it takes two people to make a discussion. Ultimately, you just want to grab them on both sides of the face and yell "Shut up!" Francis Veber couldn't find a better title for his crime-comedy, and a better actor than Gérard Depardieu to play Quentin, the quintessential pain-in-the-neck.With that film, Veber comes full circle as his first writing credit, was the classic "L'Emmerdeur" (literally, the pain-in-the-neck) another buddy-movie reuniting a hardened no-nonsense gangster played by Lino Ventura, and Belgian singer Jacques Brel, portraying a suicidal loser. Veber never really abandoned that formula which revealed itself an astonishing source of fun and original comedies, notably the 80's trilogy with goofy-looking Pierre Richard and younger and tough-looking Gérard Depardieu, and his greatest success "The Dinner of Schmucks".Yet, in "Shut up!", roles are reversed, Depardieu is the schmuck, a more straight-forward one, and as the tough guy, the only actor who could look more intimidating than Depardieu, Jean Reno, in a sort of Leon-like character, but with the brain. Still, the premise didn't really attract me at first, I thought it would be a reboot of the usual formula, but Veber proved that he was like a cook capable of making different dishes from the same ingredients. And the first surprise is that Depardieu doesn't have the usual loser's name: François Perrin or Pignon, he's Quentin, from Montargis.The fact that he introduces himself by adding "from Montargis" is not hazardous, and already gives a hint of how subtly hilarious the character is. For one thing, who the hell cares? But we do care, and there's a neat pay-off for that little detail near the end. And if not, in the same vein than "Bond. James Bond" or "Forrest, Forrest Gump", the mark of a great character sometimes lies in the way he introduces himself. And when you look at this lovable big guy, with his smile and that hair cut as he put his finger in a power plant, you wonder how he ended up being a criminal. First, Quentin isn't cut for robbing banks as he gets them mixed up with exchange offices, and when he hides in a cinema, he simply sits and enjoys "Ice Age" and keeps watching the screen while the cops arrest him. In jail, it's only a matter of minutes before he drives his cell mates crazy. But the trick of comedy is to surprise you. And Veber, a master of economy and hilarious ellipses, knows that. At the end, the cell mates are on stretchers, so we know all we need to know about Quentin, he's cheerful, dim-witted and extraordinarily strong. But… he's not mad.The psychiatrist is positive: Quentin is just stupid. The warden almost begs him to keep him in the asylum, but the doctor replies "I run a mad house, not a stupid house" and adds "imagine the size of the building if…" And you can tell that André Dussolier is really trying to keep a straight face, while delivering this hilarious line, and I'm pretty sure the wasn't the only one in this film. There are two long minutes where Depardieu put in the cell of Ruby (Reno's character), just talks and talks. Reno doesn't blink an eye. He makes a horse sound… no snap. If Depardieu's performance is extraordinary, Reno deserves a mention if only for having kept this 'straight' face, so to speak. The set-up to Ruby's incarceration is another masterstroke of economical and efficient storytelling. Ruby works for Vogel (Jean-Pierre Malo as a nasty-looking mob boss) and has an affair with his protégée. The girl is killed. Vogel's men attack an armored car. The surviving ones take the money but then Ruby neutralizes them. After an abrupt ellipse where Ruby is suddenly in cell, the Chief of Police (Richard Berry) confront him and we all get the picture To avenge the girl, Ruby stole Vogel's money. Vogel needs to know where he hid the loot, and so do the cops. And Ruby wants Vogel's head.It all comes down to Ruby refusing to talk. The Chief calls the bluff and knows Ruby is onto something, so he comes up with a great idea, how about putting the man who never talks with the man who always talks. And this is where I have a little fondness on the English title, "Ruby and Quentin" because the film is less about Quentin's annoyances than the touching duo he forms with Ruby. Surely, we don't want Quentin to "shut up!" because he embarks to one a hell of a ride, starting with an escape you won't see coming (honorable mention to Ticky Holgado in one of his last roles).Then the cat-and-mouse chase includes so many switches of cars (including Police cars), so many changes of clothes, (one of them involves the visit to a jockey's house, but I won't spoil the punch line to you) and so many knock-outs that you'll easily lose track at the end. It's spell- binding comedy at its best, with Veber's well-oiled screen writing and the inevitable human touch, without which, everything would be a series of predictable gimmicks. Ruby never gets over-the-top or hysterical he tries to understand Quentin's behavior as if a man that dumb couldn't be for real, there had to be a reason. Well, Quentin had a good reason, he wanted to be Ruby's friend and together, they would have opened a café, named "The Two Friends". You know the only way to end the film is when Ruby will stop finding this ludicrous.And the film finds the perfect note to end with, a shot that says everything. Most of all that Quentin wasn't a loser. If one thing, he won our hearts.

An inept but constantly talking small-time thief Quentin (Gérard Depardieu) is sent to prison after a botched bank robbery. There he shares a cell with a hardened gangster Ruby (Jean Reno) who refuses to say a word until getting out. Believing Ruby to be his new best friend, Quentin helps him to escape and tags along with him, much to Ruby's annoyance. Many crazy incidents follow, as the escapees are chased not only by the police but also by Ruby's former colleagues, led by a crime lord named Vogel (Jean-Pierre Malo).The appeal of the movie is largely built on the charisma of the two stars and many buddy movie conventions. Quentin and Ruby's initially one-sided friendship advances exactly as expected, so originality is not among this movie's achievements but who cares as long as it's funny, right? Luckily the dialogue is fairly amusing and some of the situations earn a chuckle or two, like the Ruby-lookalike horse and the cops' habit of losing their patrol cars. Perhaps the movie could have benefited from being more over the top especially during the chase scenes, as now the crime and drama aspects of the story are not very well developed (e.g. Ruby's financial schemes against his former boss and his love for a deceased woman). Adding more jokes or other entertaining scenes could have helped to make the movie more memorable, even though it is funny now, too.In any case, Depardieu and Reno have good on-screen chemistry together and make the movie very watchable for any fan of buddy comedies. Tais-toi may not be the comedy gem of the century, but it's a fun little movie all the same.

Don't rate movies that often with a 10 (for there's always that could've been better), but this one is just super! A very (and I mean: VERY) entertaining movie, with both main actors in roles they both perform with an abundance of finesse. It was great to see Reno perform the character he is so well know for. The moment where he looses his 'cool' (you be the judge of when exactly that happens), gives the movie that special 'switching moment' (like you'll know it will from the moment it starts) - and I guess for everyone it's a different moment; but it'll be there, trust me on that one.I'll try not to spoil anything (I therefore checked the 'contains spoiler' box - don't want to mess your evening up), but Depardieu is at his best in this movie (as is Reno, by the way - though Gerard plays his characters extraordinarily good!).Sit down, grab a beer and some Californinan walnuts (for example) and guzzle down this absolutely great movie. You'll enjoy it, believe me you will! Cheers, as I'm gonna watch it again.Jules

I had the pleasure of seeing this film on a select showing in Glasgow Film Theatre, mid last year."Tais Toi!" is without doubt, THE funniest film I've ever watched.The writing and timing are just superb. I consider this to be one of Jean Reno's finest parts. Gerard Depardieu is up to his usual fantastic standard. Anyone with doubts as to how good this film is should just sit back, watch, and reserve judgement till the credits have finished rolling. It's proof that if you've got a good actor (actors in this case) or actress on board, you can play any part you want without being concerned that it departs from what roles they've done in the first place.An absolute treat, watch it when you need picking up and want to see the zany side of life.