Riens du tout

Cédric Klapisch’s first feature displays the idiosyncratic mix of humour, social observation and skillful characterisation that has defined his consistently successful output to date - Le Peril jeune, Un Air de famille, L’Auberge espangole and Paris to name but a few.

In an attempt to turn around the waning fortunes of the major department store “Les Grandes Galeries”, a new manager is sent in: Monsieur Lepetit (played by the prolifically brilliant Fabrice Luchini).  Initially shocked by the gross individualism and lack of team spirit among his workforce, Lepetit sets about instilling a sense of unity and camaraderie in their place.  It is no mean feat, especially since his unconventional methods, such as bungee jumping, ‘physical expression’ and chorus singing, are met with inevitable skepticism by the staff.  To make matters worse, it soon becomes apparent that his bosses are harbouring hidden motives.

Riens du tout preempts recent powerhouse dramas exploring the social fallout of corporate life (Laurent Cantet’s Ressources humaines or Nicholas Klotz’s Heartbeat Detector), while managing to maintain a life-affirming quality unique to Klapisch.