Synopsis
Alexandre Taillard de Vorms is a force to be reckoned with. With his silver mane and tanned, athletic body, he stalks the world stage as Minister of Foreign Affairs for France, waging his own war backed up by the holy trinity of diplomatic concepts: legitimacy, lucidity, and efficacy. Enter Arthur Vlaminck. Hired to write the minister's speeches, Arthur must contend with the sensibilities of his boss and the dirty dealings within the Quai d'Orsay, the ministry's home.
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Cast
- Thierry LhermitteAlexandre Taillard de Vorms
- Raphaël PersonnazArthur Vlaminck
- Niels ArestrupClaude Maupas
- Bruno RaffaelliStéphane Cahut
- Julie GayetValérie Dumontheil
- Anaïs DemoustierMarina
- Thomas ChabrolSylvain Marquet
- Thierry FrémontGuillaume Van Effentem
- Alix PoissonOdile
- Marie BunelMartine
Recommendations
- 80
Variety
A sparkling and savvy comedy of political manners. - 80
The Hollywood Reporter
Quai d’Orsay zips along at a good clip and benefits from the gruffly benevolent gravity of Arestrup, which offsets the machine-gun pace set by Lhermitte. - 75
Slant Magazine
With its broad performances, rapid-fire pacing, and rampant visual and verbal gags, Bernard Tavernier's first out-and-out comedy doesn't try too hard to hide its graphic-novel origins. - 70
Village Voice
Mannered and often very funny. - 70
The New York Times
Mr. Tavernier’s filmmaking here is loose, almost casual, and you may not always notice what he’s doing with the camera as he frames the ministry’s choreographed chaos with its whirling people and parts. - 65
NPR
The French Minister boasts robust pacing, screwball-comedy banter and an exuberant central performance. For most American viewers, though, the movie could use footnotes to go with its subtitles. - 63
New York Post
The conclusion feels too good-natured after nearly two hours of a minister who would need typed instructions to butter a baguette. - 60
New York Daily News
Director Bertrand Tavernier’s amusing new political satire isn’t toothless, but it could use more bite.
