A Very Quiet Ball

Jacky (Gérard Depardieu) and Momo (Atmen Kelif) seem to be born losers. Except for an elaborate scam they regularly use to rip off unsuspecting boule players, the former boule champion and the son of Algerian immigrants just can't seem to get anything done. For the debt-ridden Jacky, whose marriage is in danger of falling apart, the future is anything but rosy. But then the tide could really turn: the sleazy businessman Stéphane Darcy (Edouard Baer) wants to give the sport of boules a new image and calls a world championship, on whose winner a prize money of 500,000 euros awaits. Jacky already sees his pupil as the winner of the competition - but in order to make it to the top of the podium, Momo must first be accepted into the French team. When he succeeds with the help of Darcy's attractive assistant Caroline (Virgine Efira), fortune finally seems to smile on the two friends. But a racist coach, unscrupulous teammates, and a vicious plot against Momo quickly shatter that dream. But Momo and Jacky don't give in that easily.

A Quite Quiet Bullet actually has the best prerequisites to offer relaxed and amusing entertainment for a balmy summer evening at the cinema. Beautiful locations, charming actors, a nice story and some very amusing moments speak in themselves a very clear language. But unfortunately Frédéric Berthes staging and the script written by six writers then cloud the joy of this comedy a little. Because it seems like they couldn't quite decide here what kind of movie A Quiet Bullet should be. Is it a typical sports comedy, telling the story of an underdog on his way to winning a big competition? Or maybe a multi-culti comedy with a slightly socially critical approach? Maybe a light-hearted romance should be told or rather the story of an unusual male friendship?

Instead of deciding on a direction, all these elements are simply squeezed into just under 100 minutes. What is hardly noticeable in a negative way in some scenes, makes the film feel indecisive, overstuffed and very superficial in other moments. This weakness is particularly noticeable in the finale, which feels strangely rushed after the very detailed build-up to the story with all its plot threads. While this does not make A Quiet Bullet a really bad film by any means, it is one that falls far short of its potential.

The film is saved primarily by the very likable Breathe Kelif, who has incorporated some experiences from his own life as an immigrant son into the story. The good chemistry with his co-stars Gérard Depardieu and Virginie Efira adds a fair amount of charm to the proceedings, which the film then benefits from even in its weaker moments. In the scenes where this charm meets biting wit, the comedy works really well. Otherwise, however, it unfortunately just ripples along nicely without leaving a lasting impression.

The fragment of a message of more tolerance that A Quiet Bullet tries to convey is unfortunately completely lost in the end. So if you're expecting some depth based on a few scenes, you'll probably be disappointed. However, if you just want to see light French comedy fare with a pleasant portion of charm and some nice ideas, this movie can definitely be recommended to you. Worth seeing with a few minor reservations

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp