With a Friend like Harry… (2001)
88%RT Audience Score: 79%
Awards & Nominations: Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
7 wins & 15 nominations total
A darkly funny thriller that’s reminiscent of Hitchcock
Harry, He’s Here to Help is the kind of movie that will make you laugh and shiver at the same time. It’s a smart horror story that explores the mind of its protagonist in a way that would make Hitchcock proud. The film’s understated charm and nasty wit make it a classic thriller that will keep you on the edge of your seat. And let’s not forget Harry himself, who is both unforgettable and unwelcome. So if you’re looking for a chance encounter with a creepy old classmate, this movie is for you!
Production Company(ies)
Twentieth Century Fox,
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Filming Location(s)
Château Hôtel Mont-Royal, La Chapelle-en-Serval, Oise, France
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for language, some violence and a scene of nudity
Year of Release
2001
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:2.35 : 1
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Runtime:1h 57m
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Language(s):French, Spanish
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): May 11, 2000 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy/Mystery & Thriller
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $15,476,522
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $26,082,404
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,607
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 2,844,319
US/Canada gross: $3,830,441
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $6,455,398
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,736
US/Canada opening weekend: $29,495
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $49,708
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 2,209
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): NA
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): NA
Production budget ranking: NA
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): NA
ROI to date (est.): NA
ROI ranking: NA
Sergi López – Harry
Mathilde Seigner – Claire
Sophie Guillemin – Plum
Liliane Rovère – Michel’s Mother
Dominique Rozan – Michel’s Father
Director(s)
Dominik Moll
Writer(s)
Gilles Marchand, Dominik Moll
Producer(s)
Michel Saint-Jean
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
7 wins & 15 nominations total
Academy Awards
All Critics (94) | Top Critics (33) | Fresh (90) | Rotten (4)
A smart horror story, at once thrilling and upsetting…
November 16, 2020
Anthony Lane
New Yorker
TOP CRITIC
Next to Memento, With a Friend Like Harry is the best thriller of the year.
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 3.5/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
October 30, 2001 | Rating: 3/4
Susan Stark
Detroit News
TOP CRITIC
It’s Lopez’s understated charm in the role that ultimately makes this film as creepy as it is.
August 24, 2001
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
An artfully entertaining psychological thriller.
May 12, 2001
Michael Rechtshaffen
Hollywood Reporter
TOP CRITIC
One of the few post-Chabrol psychological thrillers to really get near Hitchcock, and to successfully update him in some ways, this French film probes deep into the mind of its protagonist…
September 16, 2020
A.S. Hamrah
The Baffler
Our laughter is deep and lasting, as are our shivers.
November 28, 2017
Antonia Quirke
Independent on Sunday
All the hallmarks of a classic Hitchcock thriller. The master would certainly approve.
July 31, 2014 | Rating: 3.5/4
Joe Leydon
The Moving Picture Show
Add “who needs family?,” and that’s a good indication of how “Harry” dives into – but doesn’t easily resolve – a strangely symbiotic muse relationship. Evil can be just as banal as everyday life, an idea explored with nasty wit and not brutish violence.
December 15, 2010 | Rating: 3.5/4
Nick Rogers
The Film Yap
A chance encounter (or is it) with an old forgettable classmate in a restroom leads to an unforgettable and unwelcome intrusion
May 22, 2010 | Rating: B
John A. Nesbit
Old School Reviews
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review…
Plot
Michel, his wife Claire and their three little daughters Jeanne, Sarah and Iris are traveling to their cottage in Switzerland to spend summer vacation. When they stop the car, Michel goes to the toilet and a man stares at him. Soon the man introduces himself as Harold “Harry” Balestoro, who studied with Michel in high school and knows him very well. When Michel and his family go to their car, Harry parks his Mercedes Benz and introduces his fiancée Plum to the couple and invites themselves to travel to Michel’s house for a drink. Later her recalls by heart a poem written by Michel and shows that he was obsessed for Michel. Harry is surprised that Michel does not write anymore and tells that he is wealthy since he has inherited his father’s investments. Michel and Claire are middle-class and are still repairing their cottage by themselves. Harry and Plum stay for the night in the guest room and in the morning, Harry gives a 4×4 V6 Pajero to his new friends. They do not accept but Michel needs to bring his parents to see their granddaughters and drives the truck. He brings his mother and his father that immediately recognizes Harry. He feels tension between Michel and Claire and his parents and Harry and Plum move to a nearby hotel. During the night, Harry decides to help his friend, showing that he is a psychopath that turns Michel’s life upside down.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Sergi López’s performance as Harry is “humorously psychotic” and leaves the audience constantly guessing about his motives.
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