Marc (Laurent Lucas) is a second-rate chansonnier who mainly performs
in old people's homes and the like, where there are people who appreciate
his old-fashioned style. But one day, while travelling to his next gig,
his van breaks down, and he has to stay at Bartel's (Jackie Beroyer) hotel
somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Bartel initially seems a nice enough
man, a former stage comedien who just seems to enjoy the presence of
another performer ... and Bartel promises to take care of the car.
Unfortunately though, Bartel has his own ideas about what taking
care of the car means, and soon enough, the car is set aflame.
Likewise, Marc is knocked out by Bartel, and when he comes to, he finds
himself tied up and in women's cloths - it seems as if Bartel has decided
for Marc to be his wife, who ran away a few years ago. And each time Marc
protests he is knocked over the head ...
But it comes worse: Eventually, Bartel is gunned down by some
villagers, but when Marc wants to thank them, he realizes they too think
him to be Bartel's wife, and they have a definite grudge against her/him.
So Marc has to run off and a big chase starts, a chase that ends no sooner
than when the leader of the villagers, hard on Marc's heels, suddenly
finds himself sinking in the swamp, and Marc stands by and won't help just
so this ordeal comes to an end.
It all starts quite nicely, with a run-down singer breaking hearts in
an old people's home (including the heart of Brigitte Lahaie), who
suddenly finds himself in an absurd backwoods hotel. But once Marc is
forced to play the wife of Bartel, the film completely loses steam:
Bartel, as well as the others, suddenly turn out to be mere caricatures of
absurd characters, and not even good ones, for some reason, the
film has totally lost interest in Marc, who is demoted to a supporting
player, and the shoot-outs and chase scenes at the end of the movie are
strictly routine, as if the film has suddenly become afraid of the promise
made at the beginning aqnd now makes sure there is nothing here to upset
our viewing habits. Disappointing.
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