We know François Morel, the humorist of France Inter and interpreter of Michel Vidal in
Baron noir.
We discover the son, Valentin, author, whose imposing beard and non-existent hair are the antithesis of his father's epithets.
Together, the two Morels signed, in 2020, a
Dictionary in love with the useless
, in praise of moments and objects, apparently, without interest.
Doubtless the profession of driver - the former career of Valentin - could figure there.
Except when the passenger's name is Jean-Pierre Bacri.
To read also: François and Valentin Morel: "We want to be futile in France"
In a letter addressed to the
Parisian
, Morel fils returns to these special moments with the actor.
Two years of friendship, during which Valentin and Jean-Pierre traveled kilometers together.
“
Ah!
Do you know Bacri?
So how is he in life?
Not too hard?"
The kind of question the author answers soberly:
“No.
At all.
Jean-Pierre was a straight man.
Of those, when you meet them, whom you immediately want to become a tutor. "
A boss, a mentor and a friend
Bacri, a grumpy character but full of surprise, spontaneity and frankness.
The day they meet, the apprehension of the young driver flies away: "
The only thing I ask you,
says the actor,
is to roll me a little firecracker for the end of the day."
And let me put Snoop Dogg on the way home… ”
Valentin complies and the romance is born.
A relationship of master and student, that the two friends weave on the three shoots where the son Morel is engaged.
From
The Very Private Life of Monsieur Sim
to the
Sense of Celebration
, via
Great Cold
, their journey - almost filmic - leads them to Italy, and even to Poland, where they are arrested and detained for an hour and a half at the Ukrainian border. .
Jean-Pierre does not like the plane, he says so and is proud of it.
"
The only person who could get me on the plane is Tarantino if he asks me to come see him."
"Is that so ?!
Tarantino? "
exclaims Valentin, who describes himself as
"dubious"
.
"
You will admit that it is a guy who has leaves.
He has a taste for dialogue, he knows how to write!
», Retorts Bacri, masterfully.
Lessons, Morel drew from his boss and friend.
In love with the debate, Bacri forces the duel, pushes the arguments to their paroxysm, listens to his interlocutor.
But he knows that in the end he will have the last word: "
So,
come on
, let's talk about that [conspiracy, good thinking, journalists, etc.], because, you're doing badly. , I've already thought about it a lot… ”
The young driver is unsettled, walking on eggshells.
But is never upset.
"Jean-Pierre gave you straight ideas when you tended to lean"
.
Jean-Pierre, the gentleman
Modest, elegant, respectful.
The actor could not stand vulgarity, refused the ridiculous.
In a restaurant in Bourg-en-Bresse, says Morel, when
"the manager had seen fit
[...]
to sneak behind Jean-Pierre, towards the end of the meal, and to put on him a ridiculous green wig with curls on the skull.
Big anger of Jean-Pierre, who takes his coat, rules and leaves
”.
Justified outbursts, based on a generous desire for reciprocity.
"Jean-Pierre often gave his definition of a gentleman:" Do not be unseemly with the person in front of you, never make them uncomfortable
".
»
And vice versa.
Bacri had, finally, ordered Valentin to do
"better than that in
[his]
life"
.
"I will no longer take you as a driver,"
he had decided.
The two friends nevertheless met again, at the actor's home, in his apartment near the Luxembourg Gardens.
In 2018, Morel discovered,
“flattered and moved, in a movie theater, conversations that we had and that he had reproduced between his character and his driver in
Place Publique,
his latest film with Agnès Jaoui.
Tears came to my eyes. ”