Turning 50 is never an easy milestone, and approaching it with a second-rate touch is certainly the best way to swallow the pill.
In any case, this is the recipe chosen by several French filmmakers, a recipe adopted by many celebrities.
Overview of the most successful passages from the 7th art on the mid-life crisis.
Also read “It makes me feel good to express my emotions”: Guillaume Canet, 50 years old, the age of maturity
A new youth
“Les Gamins”,
by Anthony Marciano (2013), with Max Boublil, Alain Chabat…
The pitch.
Upon meeting his future son-in-law (Max Boublil), Gilbert (Alain Chabat), a fifty-year-old who has been married for thirty years and who endures his life on a plan-to-plan basis, decides to leave everything behind.
He takes a bachelor pad, goes back to drums and smokes joints.
The Chabat/Boublil encounter creates sparks and provides hilarious moments.
The cult replica.
“I can't stand this shitty sofa anymore, its color (…) It's more of a color, it's a message that says: Come see
numbers and letters
”!
Come see
Derrick
!
»
And among the people.
At 57, Jeff Bezos gives up his position as CEO of Amazon, divorces his wife to live a new romance with journalist Lauren Sanchez and takes a trip into space.
My beautiful mirror
“Jalouse”,
by Stéphane and David Foenkinos (2017)
The pitch.
It's difficult to see your daughter grow up, blossom in dance and in love when you drag out a monotonous existence as a high school teacher.
Devoured by jealousy, Nathalie (Karin Viard) turns into a stepmother.
The cult replica.
“You can’t understand, everything is fine.
Besides, your daughter is ugly!
»
And among the celebrities,
these stars were young and beautiful.
But their radiant daughters, sometimes committed to the same path, arouse shared feelings, between admiration and rivalry: Madonna and Lourdes, Melanie Griffith and Dakota Johnson, or Demi Moore and Scout, Rumer and Tallulah Willis.
It feels better saying it
“I’m better”,
by Jean-Pierre Améris (2017), with Éric Elmosnino, Alice Pol, Ary Abittan, François Berléand…
The pitch.
Devastated by back pain, Laurent (Éric Elmosnino) understands that the source of his pain is psychological and decides to empty his bag to get better.
The cult replica.
“Nothing beats taking care of a depressed friend to strengthen a relationship.
All your troubles do us a lot of good!
»
And among celebrities
Telling your four truths to feel better is a popular exercise among celebrities, who confess in the press or in autobiographies.
Anthony Delon did it with “Between Dog and Wolf” and his family takes it for granted.
Prince Harry did not wait until he was fifty to empty his bag: “The Substitute” was all the rage.
Never without my dog
“My stupid dog”,
by and with Yvan Attal (2019), also with Charlotte Gainsbourg…
The pitch.
A writer at the end of his rope (Yvan Attal) finds a taste for life thanks to a clumsy and faithful dog.
After “My Wife is an Actress”, the actor and director signs a new bittersweet family comedy, adapted from the brilliant book by the American John Fante.
The cult replica.
“My wife stood by me for twenty-five years.
Her beauty secret, a glass of white wine and an antidepressant for each additional wedding day.
»
And among the people
Leaving men company in favor of animals, several personalities have been there.
The most emblematic, Brigitte Bardot, of course.
Well before fifty, she adopted a donkey, a dog, a goat and now lives in the heart of a veritable Noah's ark.
Backfire
“New departure”,
by Philippe Lefebvre (2023), with Franck Dubosc, Karine VIard…
The pitch.
After decades of living together, Alain (Franck Dubosc), refusing to let his relationship get bogged down, decides to leave his wife Diane (Karin Viard) to rekindle the flame.
This comedy of remarriage questions: celibacy at 50, a new start or a dead end?
The cult replica.
“But we’ve been together for thirty years.
We're not lovers.
We're a couple!
»
And among the people
Leaving each other to find themselves better, some have experienced it with success: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, after a crazy passion, young, went their separate ways then got married in 2022 and coo like lovebirds... 50 years gone!