THE CLOSET A film review by Steve Rhodes Copyright 2001 Steve Rhodes RATING (0 TO ****): ***
In Francis Veber's light-hearted comedy, THE CLOSET, Daniel Auteuil (THE WIDOW OF SAINT-PIERRE) plays François Pignon, a man who comes out of the closet that he never went into in the first place. When François is about to be fired, his next-door neighbor, Belone (Michel Aumont), suggests a perfect solution. Belone, an ex-industrial psychologist, concocts a scheme whereby François is "accidentally" discovered to be gay, which he isn't. Then, the company will not dare fire him.
For François, whose recurring dream is being born without anyone realizing that he is already there, the transformation to supposed homosexual means that he is able to alter his drab life. Women like his boss, Mlle Bertrand (Michèle Laroque), who once found him "nice but boring," are suddenly intrigued by him. Even his ex-wife begins to answer his phone calls. The remarkably thin plot works primarily due to Auteuil's disarming charm.
Gérard Depardieu plays Félix Santini, a big beefy guy who is the head of the company's human resources department. Derisively referred to as "Mr. Rugby" by François, Félix is a homophobe who changes quickly when he thinks that his job is in jeopardy because of his discrimination. Félix tries to become François's bosom buddy in order to prove that he likes gays. Although he's worried that people will think that he's "an old queen," Félix does everything he can to get in François's good graces. He works hard to erase all of his old homophobic ways. He even comes to realize that it's not smart to call the company's rugby team that he coaches, "a bunch of sissies" when they don't perform up to par.
What does the company manufacture? Condoms, in a brightly colored factory that Willie Wonka would love. Amazingly, the movie uses the company's product for only two big jokes. One suspects that a lot more were left on the cutting room floor.
THE CLOSET runs just 1:24. The film is in French with English subtitles. It is rated R for a scene of sexuality and would be acceptable for teenagers.
The film is playing in nationwide release now in the United States. In the Silicon Valley it is showing at the Camera Cinemas.
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