The French Minister

So, I sat down with a cup of joe on a rainy Tuesday, wrapped in a blanket (felt like a loaf in the oven), to watch “The French Minister”. Some of you movie buff nerds out there might know it’s directed by Bertrand Tavernier. Yup, the same genius behind “A Sunday in the Country”.

Now, Yves Angelo’s camera work is like he’s dancing (probably more gracefully than how I danced last summer at Birka when the coffee spiked the spirits), capturing the chaos and charisma of the political halls. Thierry Lhermitte plays the nerve-wracking, smile-flashing Minister, Alexandre Taillard de Vorms. It’s like watching a deer prance through a minefield— captivating, with a dab of danger.

It’s based on the graphic novel “Quai d’Orsay”, and you really get that comic vibe, like when you find a hidden old comic in a Mölndal flea market. The political satire, sharp as a knife, cuts through the humor with a sprinkle of existential angst. Makes you chuckle, but also think. I guess that’s how Swedish comedy would feel if our politicians had any sense of humor—sorry, not sorry, folks.

But the pacing? Well, sometimes it feels like a waiting game at Arlanda during a snowstorm. A bit of a drag if you ask me. You anticipate greatness, and most times, it delivers, but sometimes, you’re left tapping your foot and glancing at the clock.

The themes of power and chaos relate so well to, you know, that awkward fika when the new guy at work tries to fit in with us old cronies. And maybe it’s just his Swedish connection, or perhaps the universal cogs of bureaucracy that make this film pull at our heartstrings in the darnedest ways.

Give it a watch, but be prepared—it’s not your usual Friday night flick. More like a chilly Tuesday contemplation.

Check the trailer below