An American remake of ‘Dinner for Idiots’ is being prepared

And suddenly, we stopped having the image of French cinema as heavy, auteur films, in which older men seduced very good-looking young women to find in it some of the best comedies of the decade. All thanks to Francis Veber. And the break in this image, probably, thanks to ‘Dinner for Idiots’ (‘Le dîner de cons’), one of the most hilarious and rogue films I’ve ever seen.

With some great performances by Thierry Lhermitte, in the role of Pierre Brochant, the posh man who sets the trap to laugh at that poor idiot, and by Jacques Villeret in the skin of François Pignon, the idiot who turns the situation around; It is not that the film is unbeatable, it is that it is unrepeatable, since Villeret died in 2005.

An American remake of ‘Dinner for Idiots’ is being prepared

As you already know, the film, which carries out an acid social criticism, is an adaptation of a play by Veber himself and, therefore, it does not present a great variety of scenarios or great mobility, but the dialogues are so good that it is not it is necessary. François Pignon, the name of the idiot, is used by Veber in many of his comedies, although it is not for that reason applied to the same character, as I have already indicated. With the surnames of the two characters, they got a funny little song that now they will not be able to repeat, because they will be given English-speaking names: “Il est mignon, monsieur Pignon; Il est mechant, Monsieur Brochant”. I can translate it, but it doesn’t rhyme: “He’s cute, M. Pignon; he’s bad, M. Brochant.”

After saying all this you will understand that I am not very convinced of the need to make a remake of the film. The North American review will be titled ‘Dinner for Schmucks’ and will be directed by Jay Roach.

It is said that David Guion is going to write it, but either he is the most predestined man on Earth or it is a mistake like a cathedral. Jon Vitti, Ken Daurio and Cinco Paul are other writers. Produces DreamWorks

Little else is known about her, except that, as I already announced, Sacha Baron Cohen has joined the project, that is, Borat, that is, Ali G, that is, Bruno, etc… Cohen will be the idiot, obviously. And seeing how well he can pretend he doesn’t know what’s going on to make those in his presence uncomfortable, he’ll probably get Lhermitte’s replacement in as much trouble as possible. That, ultimately, that’s what it’s all about. The one who gets off badly is not and will never be the idiot theoretician.

January 2010 update: finally the cast is made up of Steve Carell, paul rudd and Zach galifianakis.

Jay Roach is the director of ‘Austin Powers’ and its sequels, of ‘Her Parents’ and ‘His Parents’, of ‘Mystery, Alaska’, and producer of Sacha Baron Cohen’s previous films.

Source | Variety