(by Francesco Gallo)
To get rid of Damien (Baptiste Lecaplain), a wiry, neurotic young man plagued by panic attacks, a phobia of birds and suicidal impulses, his hypertonic therapist, Dr. Beranger (Christian Clavier), dismisses him by saying: "We can stop our sessions. Love, as we know, is a meeting of neuroses, and surely you too will find your soulmate."
This is the plot of 'Family Therapy' (Jamais Sans Mon Psy), a fresh and fast-paced French comedy by Arnaud Lemort, in cinemas from July 23rd, distributed by Medusa and Movies Inspired. A film whose added value is Christian Clavier, a comedian with explosive energy in the style of Louis de Funès, and by now a Molièresque mask: that of an intelligent, deeply bourgeois man, apparently full of certainties, who ultimately loses control progressively.
Cast out of therapy, Damien eventually does find a girl, and a beautiful one at that — Alice (Claire Chust) — but there is a not insignificant problem that the young man only discovers three months later, when his beloved invites him to her parents' home for their thirtieth wedding anniversary celebration.
The place is truly beautiful, a villa on the lake, except that Alice's father, Damien will discover, is none other than Dr. Beranger himself, determined to do whatever it takes to convince his daughter to break up with his former patient.
"Clavier is one of those actors who carefully chooses his stories and his screenplays. Just because you made a film with him and it went well doesn't mean he'll automatically repeat the experience!" says director Lemort about the lead actor. "After involving him in 'Ibiza', I hoped it would be possible to have him again, since he was very satisfied with that film's great success in cinemas, on TV and on streaming platforms. While I was writing 'Family Therapy'," he continues, "my producers and I kept telling each other that it could be a good fit for him.
Little by little, it became obvious. We share the same agent as Christian, so he received the screenplay fairly easily. Like all great ones, he read it on a Tuesday and called me on Thursday to say yes. I know he wouldn't like me saying this, but to me he is a legend of cinema. I am very much aware of the incredible luck I have in working with an actor of this calibre."
The director adds: "No one can imagine the commitment he puts into preparing his roles. From the moment he said yes to my project, I had him on the phone two or three times a day for a year! He is involved in every stage of the film's production, right up to its release. This involves working sessions at his home, trying to make the situations and dialogue even funnier. He plays all the characters, improvises, and whether he's playing an elderly person, a teenager, a man or a woman, everything is funny. Whether it comes to reading, writing or on set, I wish every director could shoot with Clavier: it is a daily masterclass."
Also in the film's cast: Cristiana Reali and Rayane Bensetti.
Reproduction reserved © Copyright ANSA
