if there has been a better comedy of errors this year than i'd reccomend it be shown with this delightful french import from the director of la cage aux folles . it could be a laugh all day film festival , because that's exactly what this movie is . what seems like the french " bean " turns out to be an even more hilarious romp . this movie will have you laughing for days after , and i'm glad i'm able to share this review with you . a man is on a train with francois pignon ( villeret ) when he begins to pull out pictures of different things he has built out of matches . guess how many matches it took ? he asks , 364 , 422 ! pierre is charmed , because he's found an idiot for his friend pierre brochant ( lhermitte . ) every wednesday they invite an idiot to have dinner in order to make fun of him all evening . tonight it's his turn , and before now , he was idiotless . plus , this guy is in a class of his own . pierre cracks his back while playing golf , the doctor tells him not to go to the dinner for his better health but since his idiot is the cream of the crop he attempts to go anyway . then his wife christine ( alexandra vandernoot ) decides to leave him for his cruelty for others . he thinks he's gone to the man he stole her from , then decides she's at a local love club . but in order get the phone number there they have to call a tax auditor . the idiot worsens pierre's back problems and screws up any of his chances of getting back together with his wife . a complex plot is soon laid out in the household . another film from veber that is full to the brim with original comic ideas . name one comedy that takes happens in one place , in a foreign language , and that is incredibly funny . one of the best parts about the dinner game ( besides that cool looking animation that showcases the titles and credits for the film ) is the fact that while it's called the dinner game , there is no dinner or no game at all . the film's comedy owes almost everything to villeret , he's someone you can just look at and laugh . when the film is remade in the us ( with robin williams as the idiot ) it will probably lose all of the charm and the wit that is featured here . the supporting cast is good , but it's obvious who's in the center of attention . so , go see the dinner game while you can , this funny , original , and interesting french comedy gets * * * 1/2 stars . 
