MovieChat Forums > La mentale (2002) Discussion > French 'Heat/Goodfellas' - keeping in mi...

French 'Heat/Goodfellas' - keeping in mind Fr and US film levels


I generally don't like French films. I'm sorry, I respect France, but their films (and music...) are only for them. They still have to go a loooong road to match American professionalism.
But I really loved La Mentale. I agree that sometimes it was badly acted, violent scenes were sometimes poorly executed, the script didn't really shine, Johnny Hallyday isn't a rocker :) etc. But...
But I see it as a decent French "Heat" or "Goodfellas" - the comparison won't seem exaggerated if you keep in mind the difference between French and US movies quality. French films are way under US films (of course Lelouch kicks Fast and Furious ass, for example, but I mean as an average), so the French Goodfellas has to have the same level difference. it's just the best France could do at this moment; that's what I like about it.
I'm glad French moviemakers did that movie. It is a step ahead. Sami is very good. Good luck!



Oh, lieutenant, your men are already dead.

reply

lol funny to see in fact u dont like cinema.
oh and because u need to start to learn something try "once upon a time..." insteed of goofellas like "films noirs" insteed of "the code".

ps: the code (aka la mentale) is probably one of the badest film on the numerous gangster french films.
when u like cinema u like all countries all styles.

reply

I understand you're upset and I apologize again I had said I don't enjoy French films. Still, "once upon a time..." is not French ;) So you still have to come up with something really good. I loved Alain Delon and Bebel movies - but, come on, mon mec, it's the 2010's ;)

Gognitti bailed. I made like Chow Yun-Fat.

reply

u totaly miss what i said so because i like when people can learn something (and i really dont want to teach you something :-)) i reformulate.

-im not upset at all, im far away than that :-)
-i know once upon... (i saw him maybe 8 times or more) and of course all other films of sergio), so my point was , go to see once upon instead of godfellas (mean streets is really really better than godfellas) its a movie lesson in all the ways.
-alain delon did some good films (la piscine); and "bebel" (un singe en hiver) too but in fact i was talking about the sons of "films noirs" (The Maltese Falcon was one of the first and some ppl said orson wells made the lasts)who are a movies gender and gave us movies named "polar"(i let u search about that, like i said i prefer ppl discover or learn by themself).
-some french names related to "film noir/polar" gabin, jouvet, boyer, montand, chabrol (who made some masterpieces like "le boucher" and "la cérémonie" etc etc.. that could be a good start for u.
-"mon mec" mean my boyfriend in french like my guy we just said "mec"
-some french movies of 80's and even 60's are really modern (as the "nouvelle vague was, moving the camera; reinventing dialogs etc...) and thats the a particularity of many french films, "modern" is not necessary special effect/3d, its really rare to see new ideas in the cinema (especially in usa) so thats why im interested by all countries and watch the movies from them always; in original language all the time (some most famous examples from asia : sonatine, violent cop, hanabi, full alert, memories of murder, full time killer, old boy, 2009 lost memories, breaking news, etc etc...).

ps: and if u like scorsese check what was his inspiration and what are its masters in cinema...

reply

I have to admit I really discovered something new thanks to you and merci for that. But it's not "polar", nor Chabrol (though I haven't seen le boucher and la ceremonie, but some other films) etc - it's the "mon mec" thing: I didn't know I was supposed to say "mec" only. It's quite funny ;)
Also, please don't feel offended I had said I don't like French movies - after all, I'm from Romania and we are world-known for our bad movies ;) I grew up with Truffaut, I think Irreversible is the best movie of the 2000's, I absolutely crack up at Jamel Debbouze, I love Marlene Jobert, Emma de Caunes etc - but it's not that that makes me say French films are bad; it's the constant urge of French filmmakers to let the people know they make art, not commercial movies! A matter of personal taste, of course, but everybody's entitled to their opinion :)

Gognitti bailed. I made like Chow Yun-Fat.

reply