Product Details

• Actors: Samuel Benchetrit, Sergi López, Marie Trintignant, Christopher Lambert, Jean-Louis Trintignant
• Format: Color, Full Screen, Import
• Number of discs: 1
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0007DG9UK
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #300,909 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Impersonate Janis, and Be Free -- Perfect Marie Trintingnat, March 9, 2005

By 

Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Janis et John (Original French Version) (DVD)

(IN FACT 3.5 STARS) Low-key French comedy 'Janis et John' has one great thing among its ridiculously impossible story, and that's Marie Trintingnant, who died three months after the shooting of the film. (Incidentally, first-time director Samuel Benchetrit happens to be husband to Marie.) But of that later. Another good, and even surprising thing is Christophe (Christopher) Lambert, who is very amusing as an acid-addicted record shop owner. Oh, no more 'Highlander' or 'Beowolf' please.

Again I say, don't take the story too seriously. Pablo (Serge Lopez, Harry of 'With a Friend like Harry' 'Dirty Pretty Thing') is working for an insurance company, leading a very uneventful life everyday. But one day, he finally had enough. Pablo commits a big crime -- embezzlement, deceiving one of the trusting customers M. Cannon (Jean-Louis Trintingnant, 'Three Colors: Red' and the father of Marie).

But now Pablo has to pay the insurance money, for M. Cannon, who said he would never drive a car, had a car accident. He needs 500,000 francs now. Luckily, Pablo is told that his cousin Leon (Lambert) inherited money, as much as 1,000,000 francs. And back in 1970s, Leon (he claims) met two icons of rock'n'roll music -- Janis et John, or Janis Joplin and John Lennon -- at some dirty restroom, and Leon believes their words -- 'We'll be back.' Even though they are dead, they would come back.

Now what does desperate Pablo do? Hire an unemployed John Lennon lookalike actor (Francois Cluzet), and have him impersonate the ex-Beatle before unsuspecting Leon! As to Janis, dress his mild-mannered, timid housewife Brigitte (perfect Marie Trintingnant) like Janis, with the psychedelic fashion! But Pablo never expected that Brigitte finds something more. something better than her husband's petty scam, in being the legendary pop culture icon.

'Janis et John' tries to swallow things one too many. While the real star should be, and actually is, superb Marie Trintingnant, who shows the adorable transformation of Brigitte, the actual film suffers from the director's unsure touch and inconsistent tone. One example: the film is unmistakably a comedy, but at one scene John Lennon admirer Leon proudly shows a handgun, a 'replica' of the gun that killed John Lennon in front of Dakota House. This is a dead giveaway of the innocence, or I say ignorance of someone who does not know that no decent fan of John or the Beatles would ever think of collecting such a nasty thing. I am one of the fans, and I know. And naturally, the same gun shows up again later in the story.

Fortunately, the film is supported by the unanimously great talented cast. And the soundtrack is also good, including the songs of T-Rex, Ten Years After, Ike and Tina, and of course, Janis and John.

Though the film makes you smile, and slowly but eventually cheers you up with its life-affirming attitudes, the sad real-life incident of Marie Trintignant's sudden and violent death might make you feel differently. And the last shot of the film, whick looks as if Marie is saying farewell ot us, is very moving, when we know that we lost her forever.

4.0 out of 5 stars Good movie, July 27, 2008

By 

D. Dixon "Curious Reader" (Near Philly, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Janis et John (Original French Version) (DVD)

I am a big fan of French movies and Janis Joplin (as well as the Beatles). This is the lead actress' last movie. It is also made by one of her ex-husbands and some of the shots of her seem as if they are in tribute.