This is NOT a comedy at all. It's a full-time Claude Sautet drama and not less bleak on its twits than usual.
Having watched four Claude Sautet movies in a row, it does not feel any different than his other movies as some reviewers are stating.
The template for Sautet movies are slice of life stories with a strict detachment where you are constantly observing the main character interacting with a rich setting and well-written characters, but never living through it as a viewer. Is this bad? Not at all. The movies are great, but It's a very unsettling watching experience not really being there with the character.
For this movie, the featured restaurant is just a place and the job title just a working class job. It just could be anything else as it doesn't have no impact to the story. Alex (Yves Montand) spends just about 20% of the movie's running time dressed as a waiter. Unlike other Sautet movies he does not have a any significant emotional bond with anybody in the movie and not much going on for himself. It makes you wonder why this movie was made.
Having watched four Claude Sautet movies in a row, it does not feel any different than his other movies as some reviewers are stating.
The template for Sautet movies are slice of life stories with a strict detachment where you are constantly observing the main character interacting with a rich setting and well-written characters, but never living through it as a viewer. Is this bad? Not at all. The movies are great, but It's a very unsettling watching experience not really being there with the character.
For this movie, the featured restaurant is just a place and the job title just a working class job. It just could be anything else as it doesn't have no impact to the story. Alex (Yves Montand) spends just about 20% of the movie's running time dressed as a waiter. Unlike other Sautet movies he does not have a any significant emotional bond with anybody in the movie and not much going on for himself. It makes you wonder why this movie was made.