It happened for Welcome to the Ch’tis in 2008 and for Untouchables. Would today be Artus’ turn to take the top spot with A little something extra, generous comedy that has been a hit at the cinema since last Wednesday? He plays a man on the run with his father (played by Clovis Cornillac) who takes refuge in a summer camp for the mentally handicapped to escape the police.
This tender fantasy, Artus’ first production, hits the mark by getting the best start of 2024 before big American films like Dune 2 by Denis Villeneuve. He even topped David Leitch’s Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt. This Monday, the film had already attracted nearly a million spectators in theaters. But what attracts spectators so much to this “little extra thing”?
It’s for the whole family!
It may seem silly, but there aren’t that many films where the whole family enjoys something. Artus knows how to make people laugh in a good-natured way, without shocking, which allows all generations to appreciate his film. As the offer is not overabundant in terms of entertainment of this type, it found its audience all the more easily as word of mouth is excellent after the screenings.
Artus, do you have a heart?
The answer is yes ! Artus has heart and not just a little! He says he wanted to make a film “with people with disabilities, rather than about them. » It works perfectly. A little something extra evoked The eighth day by Jaco Van Dormael with Daniel Auteuil and Pascal Dequenne through the generosity of a statement which celebrates difference without ever falling into sentimentality.
Very involved actors
Artus called on non-professional actors to play the residents of the summer camp. The result is stunning as he films them with tenderness, kindness and complicity. These raw talents to which he was able to adapt to direct them immediately win the hearts of the viewer. The professionals (Artus, Clovis Cornillac and Alice Belaïdi and Marc Riso) step aside in front of them.
Go further
The film has a very sympathetic activist side. Artus is sponsor of the Paralympic Games and International Handicap. His commitment is felt. A little extra something is not just designed to make you smile. This beautiful story full of sunshine and feelings also aims to raise awareness of people with disabilities and this generosity has paid off by attracting an audience delighted to find these positive values on the big screen.
To infinity and beyond !
It is impossible to predict whether A little something extra will manage to exceed the results ofUntouchables and its almost 20 million entries. For the moment, professionals are predicting 3.5 million spectators for Artus’ film. But all it takes is for the machine to take off and for spectators to return to see the film for the surprise success to become an unexpected triumph.