I guess we've all once met someone who said that he knows you from I don't know where, while you absolutely can't remember the person's name or where you know him/her from. With "Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien" or "Harry Is Here to Help" the makers have based their story on exact such a situation.
When on a hot summers day, Michel and his family go on a trip to visit his parents in the south of France, they stop at a gas station near the highway. In the restroom, a man asks Michel if he doesn't recognize him anymore. He says he's Harry and that he once went to the same school as Michel. He suggests they have a drink, so he and his girlfriend follow Michel and his family to their summer house. So far nothing special, but when Harry is able to quote from memory a poem Michel wrote in school, Michel is very surprised. Harry appears to think that Michel is one of the greatest writers ever and can't understand why Michel doesn't write anymore. Harry tells him that he should start again, but that he has to get rid of all the "nuissances" (his wife, his kids, his parents,...) that will prevent him from writing excellent stories. When Michel hesitates, it's Harry who'll "help" him...
What I really liked about this movie was the dark humor, although I'm convinced that many people will not. Laughing with for instance murder, isn't exactly to everybody's taste, but personally I really liked it. And yet the entire movie didn't always convince me. Especially in the beginning it was never able to fully grab me. Only when the killing started, it had me completely in its power. I would say that the quality is quite good, but not excellent. The acting is OK, without excelling, I liked the humor and the story is nice (but only at its best in the end). Overall I would reward this movie with a 6.5/10. If you want to see a great dark European comedy, than I suggest you watch the Danish movie "De Grønne slagtere" (aka "The Green Butchers"). It's a lot better, but also a lot darker than this one.
When on a hot summers day, Michel and his family go on a trip to visit his parents in the south of France, they stop at a gas station near the highway. In the restroom, a man asks Michel if he doesn't recognize him anymore. He says he's Harry and that he once went to the same school as Michel. He suggests they have a drink, so he and his girlfriend follow Michel and his family to their summer house. So far nothing special, but when Harry is able to quote from memory a poem Michel wrote in school, Michel is very surprised. Harry appears to think that Michel is one of the greatest writers ever and can't understand why Michel doesn't write anymore. Harry tells him that he should start again, but that he has to get rid of all the "nuissances" (his wife, his kids, his parents,...) that will prevent him from writing excellent stories. When Michel hesitates, it's Harry who'll "help" him...
What I really liked about this movie was the dark humor, although I'm convinced that many people will not. Laughing with for instance murder, isn't exactly to everybody's taste, but personally I really liked it. And yet the entire movie didn't always convince me. Especially in the beginning it was never able to fully grab me. Only when the killing started, it had me completely in its power. I would say that the quality is quite good, but not excellent. The acting is OK, without excelling, I liked the humor and the story is nice (but only at its best in the end). Overall I would reward this movie with a 6.5/10. If you want to see a great dark European comedy, than I suggest you watch the Danish movie "De Grønne slagtere" (aka "The Green Butchers"). It's a lot better, but also a lot darker than this one.