This feel-good comedy was the number one hit at the French box office last year.
Surpassing more than 10 million admissions, it became one of the highest grossing French films of all time.
It concerns a couple of hapless crooks who seek refuge with a group of intellectually disabled adults.
Lucien (Clovis Cornillac) and Paulo (Artus – who is also cowriter and director of the piece) have just staged a daring daylight jewel heist.
Naturally, they are keen to get away quickly, but discover that their car has been towed because Paulo parked it in a disabled zone.
It just happens to be that Lucien and Paulo are in the same area as a group of disabled that has gathered to take a bus to a summer camp.
Now they are only waiting for one straggler to arrive.
But as police also converge, Paulo finds himself ushered onto the bus by the camp’s attractive manager Alice (Alice Belaidi).
She mistakenly believes him to be missing attendee and he is not about to argue.
Meanwhile, Lucien also comes on board on the pretext that he is Paulo’s counsellor/carer.
With both assuming false identities, A Little Something Extra becomes a fish out of water story.
It doesn’t take Paulo long to warm to his new environment, while it is harder going for gruff natured Lucien.
We also come to learn more about the personalities and peccadilloes of each of those attending summer camp and of those caring for them.
As for Alice, she finds herself at the crossroads of a big life decision, while attracting the interest of more than one suitor.
To their credit, the French do things differently and in this woke world, A Little Something Extra doesn’t shy away from offering some politically incorrect humour.
Whilst I could say “be careful what you laugh at today, in case somebody has a go at you”, there was no shortage of guffaws at the opening night screening I attended.
And, I should quickly add that bums on seats in France don’t lie.
In truth, there are no shortage of sight gags and one liners in A Little Something Extra.
The contention is rather straight forward, but there is an appealing warmth and humanity about the offering.
Spoiler (really not much of one): even the bad guys are resurrected.
Alice Belaidi is the glue that binds it all together with humility, while Artus says and does all the right things.
The cast includes many non-professional actors in supporting roles and one after another they charm and delight.
There is now talk of an English-language remake.
A Little Something Extra scores a 7 out of 10.
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