The Closet (Le Placard) (2001)
80%RT Audience Score: 68%
Awards & Nominations: NA
A pleasant comedy with a great cast
The Closet” has been described as a mixed bag of reviews, but let me tell you, this movie is a hoot! Sure, some critics found it offensive and unfunny, but I found myself laughing out loud at the comedic talent on display. The film takes on corporate greed and prejudice in a witty and charming way, and the French farceur Francis Veber has once again proven that gay subject matter can be financially successful without being condescending. Plus, there’s a scene that’s virtually crying out for a spit take – what’s not to love? Don’t listen to the naysayers, give “The Closet” a chance and you won’t be disappointed!
Production Company(ies)
Zentropa Entertainments, Film i Väst Zentropa International, Sweden
Distributor
Miramax Films
Release Type
Theatrical, Theatrical (Limited)
Filming Location(s)
South Korea
MPAA / Certificate
Year of Release
2001
-
Color:Color
-
Sound mix:Dolby Digital
-
Aspect ratio:2.39 : 1
-
Runtime:1h 24m
-
Language(s):Korean
-
Country of origin:Korea (South)
-
Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jun 29, 2001 Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Mar 5, 2002
Genre(s)
Comedy
Keyword(s)
starring Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, Thierry Lhermitte, Michèle Laroque, Michel Aumont, Jean Rochefort, directed by Francis Veber, written by Francis Veber, genre: comedy, box office performance: $6.7M, MPAA rating: R, reviewed by Sara Michelle Fetters, Kimberley Jones, Neil Smith, Jay Boyar, Geoff Pevere, Lisa Schwarzbaum, Howard Feinstein, Michael Dequina, Mark Halverson, David Nusair, Brandon Judell, Andrea Chase, runtime: 1h 24m, produced by Alain Poiré
Worldwide gross: $9,039,424
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $10,315,478
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 1,957
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 1,124,916
US/Canada gross: –
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend:
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): NA
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): NA
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
Gérard Depardieu – Félix Santini
Thierry Lhermitte – Guillaume
Michèle Laroque – Mlle Bertrand
Michel Aumont – Belone
Jean Rochefort – Kopel, Company Director
Director(s)
Francis Veber
Writer(s)
Francis Veber, Francis Veber
Producer(s)
Alain Poiré
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
NA
Academy Awards
All Critics (81) | Top Critics (29) | Fresh (69) | Rotten (12)
While there are laughs to be had, on a whole Veber’s new film is an unfunny and offensive disaster, wasting a truckload of rich comedic talent in the process.
June 19, 2003 | Rating: 1.5/4
Sara Michelle Fetters
MovieFreak.com
TOP CRITIC
March 10, 2003 | Rating: 2/5
Kimberley Jones
Austin Chronicle
TOP CRITIC
April 29, 2002 | Rating: 4/5
Neil Smith
BBC.com
TOP CRITIC
One reason that Veber’s comic ideas are so effective is that, in addition to being very funny, they hit on the sort of sociological issues that people really do think about.
July 20, 2001
Jay Boyar
Orlando Sentinel
TOP CRITIC
While the generally sunny tone and faultlessly charming execution of the movie … keeps things bubbling along, there’s a cauldron churning somewhere beneath.
July 18, 2001
Geoff Pevere
Toronto Star
TOP CRITIC
Perfectly built French tickler.
July 16, 2001 | Rating: A-
Lisa Schwarzbaum
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
This witty film courageously takes on the corporate world in all its greed and prejudice. And wins.
May 24, 2022
Howard Feinstein
The Advocate
If one didn’t know any better, one would think that French farceur Francis Veber’s latest comedy as a just-unearthed relic from the ’80s, given how it treats homosexuality as some sort of cutesy novelty.
February 10, 2009 | Rating: 1.5/4
Michael Dequina
TheMovieReport.com
August 7, 2008 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Halverson
Sacramento News & Review
…there are a number of sequences that would clearly benefit from a more broad sensibility (there’s a scene that’s virtually crying out for a spit take, for example).
June 18, 2007 | Rating: 2.5/4
David Nusair
Reel Film Reviews
all honours finally go to Veber, who has once again single-handedly changed the landscape of gay filmmaking, proving that gay subject matter can be financially successful without being condescending.
May 8, 2003 | Rating: 8/10
Brandon Judell
Gay.com UK
April 5, 2003 | Rating: 5/5
Andrea Chase
Killer Movie Reviews…
Plot
When an accountant for a rubber factory is about to be fired, he spreads a rumor that he’s gay so that the company will be afraid to fire him, but the ruse quickly becomes a challenge when a burly homophobe befriends him to also keep his own job for the opposite reason in the French comedy, The Closet.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
Gerard Depardieu gives a standout performance as the burly homophobe who befriends Francois.
Francis-Veber.jpg
