Few things make me feel so uncomfortable than stories about unnaturally friendly people that infiltrate into the life of normal people and then turn out to be total psychos! That is probably because these stories are a confronting reminder that the majority of us (myself included) are unnecessary polite cowards, and we could easily avoid a lot of trouble if we were just a bit more assertive and honest. Like Michel and Claire, the couple in "Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien". If they, at the fuel station in the beginning of the film, had the guts to say: "Sorry, Harry, but we haven't spoken in twenty years and we were never even that close to be begin with, so I don't see a reason why you should accompany us on our holiday trip", well, then nothing awful would have happened.
On the other hand, of course, you can't deny this sort of stories are identifiable and disturbing, and thus they work very effectively as thrillers. "Harry, etc." is one of the most known and acclaimed (since it was shown at Cannes' Film Festival") titles in the genre, and a very good film overall. It's not the best of its kind, in my humble opinion. If you like the formula of "stranger-danger", make sure to check out the 2022 "Speak No Evil" by the Danish writer/director Christian Tafdruk.
Claire and Michel have a busy and stressful life. They work hard throughout the year and raise three energetic daughters, and rather than relaxing during their well-deserved summer holiday, they renovate the old and ramshackle cottage they bought in Switzerland five years ago. They're on a tight financial budget, and Michel also constantly must play chauffeur for his ageing parents. When Michel runs into Harry, with whom he went to high school, the contrast between them couldn't be bigger. Harry is rich and totally carefree, with only a beautiful trophy-wife by his side. Harry invites himself to Michael and Claire's cottage, and gradually starts doing things to make Michel's life "easier". In fact, what Harry really wants is for Michel to start writing poetry and silly Sci-Fi stories again, like he did in high school.
Dominik Moll's film bathes in a continuously uncanny atmosphere, and benefices greatly from the powerhouse performance by Sergi Lopez as the unpredictable and megalomaniacal creep Harold "Harry" Balestrero. We all know, from our own circle of friends, that one person who doesn't understand when he/she outstayed his/her welcome, right? Well, Harry is that person multiplied by a thousand. His behavior and interpretations of what life's priorities should be are insanely surreal. And that is also the biggest weakness in "Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien", I think. The script can never be taken seriously and remains circling around in black-comedy territory. The very best titles, like the aforementioned "Speak No Evil" dare to go further.
PS: I definitely do want to watch a film version of that "Flying Monkeys" story, though!
On the other hand, of course, you can't deny this sort of stories are identifiable and disturbing, and thus they work very effectively as thrillers. "Harry, etc." is one of the most known and acclaimed (since it was shown at Cannes' Film Festival") titles in the genre, and a very good film overall. It's not the best of its kind, in my humble opinion. If you like the formula of "stranger-danger", make sure to check out the 2022 "Speak No Evil" by the Danish writer/director Christian Tafdruk.
Claire and Michel have a busy and stressful life. They work hard throughout the year and raise three energetic daughters, and rather than relaxing during their well-deserved summer holiday, they renovate the old and ramshackle cottage they bought in Switzerland five years ago. They're on a tight financial budget, and Michel also constantly must play chauffeur for his ageing parents. When Michel runs into Harry, with whom he went to high school, the contrast between them couldn't be bigger. Harry is rich and totally carefree, with only a beautiful trophy-wife by his side. Harry invites himself to Michael and Claire's cottage, and gradually starts doing things to make Michel's life "easier". In fact, what Harry really wants is for Michel to start writing poetry and silly Sci-Fi stories again, like he did in high school.
Dominik Moll's film bathes in a continuously uncanny atmosphere, and benefices greatly from the powerhouse performance by Sergi Lopez as the unpredictable and megalomaniacal creep Harold "Harry" Balestrero. We all know, from our own circle of friends, that one person who doesn't understand when he/she outstayed his/her welcome, right? Well, Harry is that person multiplied by a thousand. His behavior and interpretations of what life's priorities should be are insanely surreal. And that is also the biggest weakness in "Harry, un ami qui vous veut du bien", I think. The script can never be taken seriously and remains circling around in black-comedy territory. The very best titles, like the aforementioned "Speak No Evil" dare to go further.
PS: I definitely do want to watch a film version of that "Flying Monkeys" story, though!