The Podalydès brothers give it their all, chaining gags and misunderstandings, in a world of work where hypocrisy is the order of the day.
He is unemployed, which is common. His wife is a submarine, which is less commonplace. Alexander cheated on her. Big mistake. She goes on a mission and he has two months to prove that he can take care of their two sons and avoid divorce. His banker harasses him. Opposite, he uses euphemisms (“We are occasionally separated.”). His last job was to be a deputy director of an illumination company (translate: printer).
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Bargain: a box agrees to test it. Problem: the rule is not to have children. So Alexandre juggles with the schedules, hides the cuddly toys (the plush monkeys that give their name to the film), hides his wallpaper. At home, during videoconferences, he hides the toys in the fridge, tears the drawings off the walls. Fortunately, he met at the nursery an oddball called Arcimboldo whose task was to recover drones from the sidewalks. In this state-of-the-art company (The Box), there is a ping-pong table in the middle of the hall and candy dispensers everywhere; we use a modern and technocratic jargon, strewn with anglicisms. His post, already: “Reacting process.” Don’t really wonder what it is. The meetings take place “one to one”. His superior Séverine is not a piece of cake. Sandrine Kiberlain is odious, with her autonomous car, her cell phone screwed to her ear, her freakish tone. Obviously, her outfit is predictable: black coat and white blouse.
Gags and misunderstandings
What a job! You have to be available 24 hours a day (always pretend to understand), find new ideas for a municipality where you grew up by chance, have lunch with the mayor whose deputy in the leopard dress is the woman (do not forget to s ‘ecstasy on the cromesquis). From London, the young boss multiplies the warnings, summons all the staff to virtual cakes of kings. Séverine sighs, upsets her “buddy”, becomes almost human.
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With The 2 Alfred, the Podalydès brothers give it their all, rediscover the alacrity of Versailles Left bank, string of gags and misunderstandings. The world of work is a smiling and colorful hell. Fear explains the relationships. Hypocrisy is the order of the day. Poor Alexander whose main qualities are “honesty, kindness and a taste for delirium”. Go get a CDD, with that.
The film gallops, between two rides in the public garden, an impromptu tap dance act in a street at night. It is a world where technology is in panic, but where love remains possible once pregnancy tests and bottles are accepted. Here is finally a comedy in which to laugh without blushing, which possesses the lucid tenderness of a Sempé. The debonair Bruno gives the reply to his brother Denis. Their complicity is a pleasure to see. Kiberlain is above all praise in this role of fake Cruella soon overtaken by her feelings. The cinema is made for dancing a slow sur If You Leave Me Now next to a broken down car. The slogan of the summer? “Two Alfreds, or nothing.”
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