French Films You Need to Watch

Before I moved to France the only French film I had ever seen was Amélie. I didn’t know of other French films, nor the names of any famous French actors and I’m ashamed to say that it stayed this way for a very long time! The problem was – I wanted to watch French movies but I just didn’t know where to start. There were so many to choose from and as I was learning French, I wanted to choose something I could actually understand! So if you are trying to improve your French or if you simply want to watch more French movies here’s a list of my own personal favourites:

L’Arnacoeur

This French classic starring Romain Duris and Vanessa Paradis was such a success that it was remade by the Americans and entitled Heartbreaker (you’ve probably seen it starring Sigourney Weaver and Jennifer Love Hewitt!) In the French original, Alex (Romain Duris) is a successful entrepreneur who is paid to trick women into falling in love with him so he can break up their existing relationship. When a businessman asks him to break up his daughter’s relationship 10 days before her wedding, it sounds tough but doable… until he meets the bride, Juliette (Vanessa Paradis), who may be the only woman to ever resist his charms. A refreshing romantic comedy that everyone should see.

La Vérité si je mens

The year is 1997 and in Paris, Eddie Vuibert is an unemployed man in financial difficulty. A rich Jewish businessman gives Eddie a job because he mistakenly believes him to be Jewish as well. Eddie rapidly integrates in the Parisian Jewish community and continues his masquerade in order to get closer to his boss’s daughter. Will he get found out or will he get the girl? You’ll have to watch it to find out!

Intouchables

Omar Sy and Francois Cluzet, two of my favourite French actors, play a rich disabled man and his help in this beautiful film based on a true story. Omar Sy, a young man from the poor suburbs of Paris, goes to an interview with Cluzet simply to get a signature so that he can be on the dole. To his surprise he is offered a job and this incredible story begins. You’ll laugh and cry at this one of a kind film that will stay with you forever.

Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis

This hilarious film is by far the funniest French film I’ve ever seen. However, you will need to watch it with French subtitles, due to the Northern dialect! “Ch’tis” is a nickname for people from the north of France where their accent is particularly strong! Our main character, Philippe Abrams, is a director for the post office who gets banished to the north of France. We follow him on his adventures and particularly on the relationship he builds with the hilarious Danny Boon. This film will make you laugh your head off and you’ll learn some new Ch’ti vocabulary!

La Doublure

Gad Edmaleh, Alice Taglioni and Danny Boon star in this brilliant, entertaining romantic comedy. Pierre Lavasseur (Daniel Auteuil) is wealthy tycoon who faces disaster when a paparazzi snaps a picture of him with his longtime mistress (Taglioni). Since Pierre’s wife owns a majority share of his company, he must avoid divorce at all costs. At his lawyer’s suggestion, he hires Francois Pignon (Gad Elmaleh) who was also in the photograph, to pose as his lover’s boyfriend to hide the affair from his wife. A fun film that’s perfect for a Sunday afternoon!

Other French films I love:

• L’auberge espagnole (and it’s two sequels Les poupées russes and Casse tête Chinois
• Rock ‘n’ Roll
• La Boum
• Ne le dis à personne

I hope that helps you all enjoy some French films!