Sentinelle (2023)

Sentinelle (2023)

A stupidly funny spoof that could use a little more commitment and heart

6.6

Movie

France
French
Comedy
2023
DAVID CAVIGLIOLI, HUGO BENAMOZIG
Emmanuelle Bercot, Gustave Kervern, Jonathan Cohen

TL;DR

This is as no-brainer as it gets.

What it's about

When an anonymous terror group threatens to harm her, the French president assigns police chief and musician François Sentinelle (Jonathan Cohen) to track them down.

The take

In the vein of crime spoofs like The Naked Gun and The Pink Panther, Sentinelle follows a bumbling police chief who, almost purely by error, gets closer and closer to solving a complex case. Sentinelle himself is stupidly hilarious, a narcissistic dolt who unwittingly makes himself the butt of every joke. But he’s also the only person in this film who is committed to the bit—everyone else plays straight man to his foils, unwilling to participate in the cookiness the movie seems to want to achieve. It’s almost as if Sentinelle accidentally wandered onto a different set, one that’s set to make a straightforward police thriller instead of a silly little comedy. It doesn’t help that Sentinelle’s humor is the only thing he has going for him; outside of the jokes, he’s just a sketch of a character. Besides his music, what does he live for? Besides his ego, what really hurts him? He’s the saving grace of the movie, but we don’t learn enough about him to care.

What stands out

Though he doesn’t have a lot to work with, Jonathan Cohen gives his all in bringing Sentinelle to life. His physicality, his expressions, his timing, they come together to make Sentinelle an oddity you won’t soon forget. If the filmmakers have the chance to make a sequel, they only need to fix a few things with his characterization. His appeal, on the other hand, is nothing to worry about.

Comments

Add a comment

What did you think? Who should watch it?

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

UP NEXT 

How to Deal with a Heartbreak (2023)

An unremarkable story about one girl’s journey towards love, success, and happiness

5.0

Smoke (1995)

A gorgeous indie gem whose every note is worth inhaling

8.7

A Million Miles Away (2023)

A biopic designed to be as inoffensive and feel-good as possible, helped along by strong lead performances

6.3

Theater Camp (2023)

Made with obvious love, this riotous shot of mockumentary joy also has a surprisingly sincere heart

8.1

I Lost My Body (2019)

The Oscar-nominated unconventional animation

8.2

Cold War (2018)

A quiet Polish masterpiece with ravishing music and dazzling visuals

9.2

Incendies (2011)

Part melodrama, part war thriller, Incendies is gorgeous and heartbreaking from the first scene

9.9

The Farewell (2019)

Awkwafina shines in this complex culture clash comedy.

9.1

Burning (2018)

The Complex South-Korean Award-Sweeper

7.7

Booksmart (2019)

Two academic overachievers from high school set out to prove that they're a smart and fun for one last time.

9.0

Curated by humans, not algorithms.

agmtw logo

© 2023 agoodmovietowatch, all rights reserved.