It's always curious to watch movies with a broken fourth wall, and 'The Wedding Bachelor' just smashes it to pieces. How successful is it?

Brief Synopsis

Adriane (Benjamin Lavernhe) finds himself in a rather awkward position: he has to prepare a toast for the wedding of his sister Sophie (Julia Piaton), with whom he hasn't felt a close sibling bond for many years.

Making matters worse, Adriane's girlfriend Sonia (Sarah Giraudeau) recently decided to put their relationship 'on hold,' which the young man took very hard. Tormented by emotional pain, he must decide what to do next and how not to end up as that awkward bachelor at the wedding.

Funny or Not?

Often, writing comedies is much harder than immersing in drama. The same Pixar studio repeatedly proves that you can derive an approximate formula to squeeze a tear from the viewer (take the recent animated film 'Soul'). At the same time, humor is subjective, and making a truly funny comedy film becomes quite a challenge.

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Open material

In this regard, 'The Bachelor' handles it very well. Although the situations and the gags built around them are quite simple and even a bit cliché, few people will fail to chuckle at least three times during the film. And quite loudly and heartily at that.

The comedic talent of the actors is evident at all levels—from the main character to the incredibly unflappable and hilariously pompous guitarist who appears in just a couple of scenes.

Breaking the Fourth Wall

The concept of the fourth wall is inextricably linked to theatrical art—it is what separates the actors performing a specific action on stage from the audience. Breaking the rules of the fourth wall has been used by directors and filmmakers for many years to create one effect or another, and there are many examples.

'The Wedding Bachelor' doesn't just abound with these breaks—it is built on them and uses them in the most brazen way (in a good sense). The main character constantly, almost every five minutes, addresses us on the other side of the screen to comment on a particular situation or recall a scene from his past.

Another technique used by director Laurent Tirard is exaggeration and dramatization, which fits perfectly into the overall concept of Adriane's fantasies. For example, if the hero is sad, a pianist will literally pass by, playing a sad melody. Or, in situations imagined by Adriane, a mother and daughter, dressed like characters from 'The Stepford Wives,' will deliberately overact.

Russian audiences might have seen something similar in one of the truly good films of recent years, 'What Men Talk About.' Probably, among all possible fourth-wall-breaking analogues, it is the closest in spirit to 'The Bachelor.'

Where 'The Wedding Bachelor' Misses the Mark

All of the above does not mean that the film is entirely without flaws. Moreover, there are several aspects that can significantly spoil the overall impression of the film.

First, the extreme simplicity of the plot and the clichés that Adriane ponders. Should you wait for an SMS reply from a girl who dumped you? Will your father tell a story everyone has heard many times today? Do women find guitarists attractive?

Second, the character of Adriane himself turned out to be overly unappealing. He has certain character traits that turn a lovable goof into a somewhat unpleasant type and may simply repel the viewer. Despite all efforts, Benjamin Lavernhe lacks the charisma to carry such a character throughout the entire runtime. Unfortunately, for the same reason, the film's ending feels muddled, and the main event, where Adriane puts his own selfish experience at the center of attention, is not entirely satisfying.

Third, towards the end of the film, the cutaways illustrating the main character's imagination start to feel contrived and insufficiently inventive. At some point, you get the feeling that you're watching another episode of 'Family Guy,' where the comedic skits are not connected to the main plot.

Verdict

Nevertheless, the film turned out quite successful. The humor is amusing and even funny at times, the atmosphere is light, the actors try their best, and the Russian voiceover is simply beyond praise. So if you want to just laugh heartily, forgetting your problems for one evening, then 'The Wedding Bachelor' is definitely recommended for viewing.

Yes, and the opening credits are among the funniest and most inventive in their simplicity in recent times.