Friends in strange places

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My Best Friend is like a short story made into a feature film. It's artificial, perhaps, but so well done that you are taken in hook, line and sinker.

Daniel Auteuil, an actor who can make considerably worse movies than this look acceptable, plays François, a middle-aged antiques dealer who is cruelly told at his birthday dinner that he has no friends whatsoever.

He's given 10 days to produce the best friend he claims he has. A valuable Greek vase he has just acquired is tied to the wager.

He goes to absurd efforts to find one but Auteuil is so good that they don't appear so. He finds himself in the company of Bruno, a talkative cabbie (Dany Boon), who specialises in quiz programmes like Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and tries to teach him how to be sociable, smiling and sincere. In the end, of course, François doesn't have to look further than the cabbie to win, but, being a cussed fool, he's slow to realise it.

I can't think of anyone not enjoying Leconte's skill and the performances of both Auteuil and Boon.

In fact, the entire cast react to this trifle in a way which makes it taste very nice indeed.

My Best Friend