User Reviews

In Paris, Vincent Larchet (Patrick Mille) and Mathias Warkhevytch (Guillaume Gallienne) are best friends since their childhood and they share a rented apartment that belongs to Vincent's father, who is an important anesthetist of a hospital in Paris and with whom Vincent does not have a good relationship. Vincent does not work or study and he quited the Law School after being left by his girlfriend Alessia Massari (Olivia Magnani); he is a selfish liar, cheater, lazy and disloyal man that likes to criticize the others to protect himself. However, he is worshiped by Mathias, who misses his former girlfriend Natacha (Valérie Bonneton) and is working in a never ending thesis. On the day of Matthias's birthday, Vincent breaks in the apartment of his father to celebrate with his friends, but his father unexpectedly returns from a trip and finds a complete mess. He challenges Vincent and Matthias to survive in the streets of Paris for seven days and seven nights with seven Euros. They accept the bet and along the period, Vincent learns the value of the unconditional friendship and loyalty.

"La Jungle" has an interesting and original premise: how to survive for seven days with seven Euros in Paris. However, despite of the good premise, this movie does not work well since it is neither funny as a comedy nor dramatic as a drama; actually is shallow and boring in some moments. The greatest problem is the unpleasant and non-charismatic character Vincent – the guy does not have any good quality, actually he is a scum. Matthias saves part of the plot since this one is charismatic and attracts the sympathy of the audience. The writer and director Mathieu Delaporte wrote and directed with a too heavy hand this feature. My vote is four.

Title (Brazil): "Duros em Paris" ("Broken in Paris")

This film, like many French films of this kind, will be soon forgotten. It is watchable if you don't expect much action and sensational twists. Anemone is on screen less than 2 minutes at the end of the film, but Guy Bedos, as Vincent's father, has a more important role. Patrick Mille plays a similar guy as he played in La Doublure, a womaniser and a looser always living as a parasite, squatting his father's flat and praising laziness. One evening his father and his friends have enough of this and bet with him, that he would not survive 7 days without their help. He accepts the challenge and goes out across Paris with his best friend Mathias, with only 7 Euros in pocket. The rest of the film is about this journey that will teach the 2 young lads a lot about life and friendship.

In conclusion the 2 main characters are not played badly, but the whole story is a bit slow, and lack of elements of surprise. There are however some nice and unusual views of pedestrian areas of Paris.