''Coco'' is a 2009 French comedy film written, directed, and starring

Gad Elmaleh Gad Elmaleh ( ar, جاد المالح, Latn, ar, Gād el-Māleḥ; born 19 April 1971) is a Moroccan-Canadian stand-up comedian and actor who achieved fame in France, Morocco and the United States. He is best known in the French-speaking wor ...

. The film is based on a character sketch he created for his one-man show "La Vie Normale". The film earned $8.5 million in its opening weekend at the French box office, and went on to gross $11.7 million in the European market. Although it was a box office success, ''Coco'' was not well received by critics. It received only one star out of four from '' Première'', ''

Paris Match ''Paris Match'' () is a French-language weekly news magazine. It covers major national and international news along with celebrity lifestyle features. History and profile A sports news magazine, ''Match l'intran'' (a play on ''L'Intransigeant' ...

'', and ''

Télérama ''Télérama'' is a weekly French cultural and television magazine published in Paris, France. The name is a contraction of its earlier title: ''Télévision-Radio-Cinéma''. Fabienne Pascaud is currently managing editor. Ludovic Desautez is dep ...

'', and two stars from ''

Elle ''Elle'' (stylized ''ELLE'') is a worldwide women's magazine of French origin that offers a mix of fashion and beauty content, together with culture, society and lifestyle. The title means "she" or "her" in French. ''Elle'' is considered the w ...

'' and ''

Le Journal du Dimanche ''Le Journal du dimanche'' (English: ''Sunday's newspaper'') is a French weekly newspaper published on Sundays in France. History and profile ''Le Journal du Dimanche'' was created by Pierre Lazareff in 1948. He was managing editor of ''France ...

''.

Synopsis

Coco is a wealthy

Maghrebi Jewish :''See Mashriqi Jews for more information about Jews in the rest of North Africa and Western Asia.'' Maghrebi Jews ( or , ''Maghrebim'') or North African Jews ( ''Yehudei Tzfon Africa'') are ethnic Jews who had traditionally lived in the Maghre ...

businessman and an immigrant to France. After 15 years of financial success (due to his invention of a new type of sparkling water) he decides to throw an enormous bar mitzvah celebration for his son Samuel. Determined that the celebration will be the most fantastic event of the year, Coco alienates his entire family as he plans for the gala.

Cast

: Coco *

Pascale Arbillot Pascale Arbillot (born 17 April 1970) is a French actress. She is a graduate of the Paris Institute of Political Sciences; however, soon after, she decided to become an actress. She has appeared in films, on television and in the theatre. Fil ...

: Agathe *

Jean Benguigui Jean Benguigui (born 8 April 1944 in Oran) is a French actor. He is of Jewish-Algerian descent. In 2006 and 2007 he played the role of impresario Cartoni in a new adaptation of the operetta Le Chanteur de Mexico at the Théâtre du Châtelet ...

: Zerbib *

Manu Payet Emmanuel "Manu" Payet (; born 22 December 1975) is a French comedian, actor, filmmaker and radio host. Filmography As actor Voice work Animated films *2006: '' Ice Age: The Meltdown'': French voice of Lone Gunslinger Vulture *2008: ''Kung ...

: Steve *

Ary Abittan Ary Abittan (born 31 January 1974) is a French people, French actor and humorist. Life and career Ary Abittan was born on January 31, 1974, in Paris. He comes from a Sephardic Jewish (Maghrebi Jewish) family. His father is from Morocco and his ...

: Max *Daniel Cohen : Mimo *

Noémie Lvovsky Noémie Lvovsky (; born 14 December 1964) is a French film director, screenwriter, and actress. Life and career Born in Paris in 1964, Lvovsky is the daughter of Jewish parents who emigrated from Ukraine to flee pogroms. She studied cinema at L ...

: Brigitte *Gladys Cohen : Évelyne *Nicolas Jouxtel : Samuel *Léane Grimaud : Julia *

Gérard Depardieu Gérard Xavier Marcel Depardieu, CQ (, , ; born 27 December 1948) is a French actor, filmmaker, businessman and vineyard owner since 1989 who is one of the most prolific thespians in film history having completed over 250 films since 1967 alm ...

: The cardiologist *

Enrico Macias Gaston Ghrenassia (born 11 December 1938), known by his stage name Enrico Macias, is an Algerian-French singer, songwriter and musician of Algerian Jewish descent. Early years Gaston Ghrenassia was born to a Sephardic Algerian Jewish family i ...

: The tailor *

Jacques Spiesser Jacques Spiesser (born 7 June 1947) is a French actor. Biography After having taken courses at the Conservatoire, he made his film debut in 1972 in Nina Companeez's '' Faustine et le bel été'' with Muriel Catala. He is best known to English ...

: The prefect *François Berland : Monsieur Daumergue *Charlotte Desgeorges : Patricia *Étienne Draber : Mronsieur Colfontaine *Anne Haybel : Madame Colfontaine *Alexandre Knafo : Lucas *Fariza Kraria : Madame Zamzem *Laurence Oltuski : Chloé *Ahmed Riyasat : Chandra *Alexis Sellam : Melloul *Isaac Sharry : Isaac *Mercedès Zarka : Aunt Mercedès

References

External links

* 2009 films Films about Jews and Judaism 2000s French-language films French comedy films 2009 comedy films 2000s French films {{2000s-France-film-stub