The Exchange Student

Another one of those de Funès movies I don't really know at all. It all felt a bit overdone to me, there was constant rushing around, with someone always chasing after someone else. It’s just too traditional, too clichéd and slapstick, which, in this case, simply bothered me. (02/02/2015)

The Exchange Student is brimming with wacky humour and action, so that - despite a few duller spots (a bunch of kids on a boat) - you certainly don't get bored. Louis De Funès is in his choleric element, and he's wonderfully seconded by the "English" Ferdy Mayne. In addition to the protagonists, the film also offers a couple of strong supporting characters, like the wild maid who keeps getting sent to bed, Michonnet, who doesn't like English cuisine, or the guy Bosquier keeps accidentally bumping into. A holiday that most of those involved will never forget. (11/26/2020)

It's probably due to age, but the sixties and seventies don't really speak to me and I'll probably never fully appreciate their beauty. Funès is as always wonderful, but this is not one of his best works. The kinds got on my nerves terribly, leaving me with virtually nothing to do but root for the dads. Among other issues, I noticed a lot of reflections of the cameraman in the glass and the shadows, extras looking at the camera shyly to see if the shot was still going, etc. (07/02/2006)