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The New Toy
Le Nouveau Jouet
2022 111 min France 12+
★6.5
Comedy, Family, Drama
Director: James Huth
🎭 Based on
«The Toy»
Trailers
Description
Samy lives happily with his wife, Alice, in a poor urban housing project amongst friends and neighbours. For his son’s birthday, the richest man in France throws open his grand department store, offering the boy whatever he wants. Alexandre chooses Samy, the night watchman, as his new toy…
Budget:
$13.13M
Worldwide:
$7.3M
Starring
Jamel Debbouze
Actor
Daniel Auteuil
Actor
Simon Faliu
Actor
Key opinion
Le Nouveau Jouet is a modern reimagining of the classic French comedy that attempts to balance contemporary social themes with the original's core narrative. While some critics find the new version emotionally resonant and soulful, others argue it struggles to match the sharp character depth and satirical bite of the 1976 original.
| Emotion | The film succeeds in establishing an emotionally resonant and sincere bond between the protagonist and the child. | |
| Production | The production design effectively captures the opulence of the mansion and the child's environment through realistic staging. | |
| Theme | The film's exploration of father-son dynamics and the necessity for parents to listen to their children provides a relevant, modern thematic core. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided: some appreciate the fresh narrative twists and modern updates, while others feel the plot lacks the clear motives and incisive class critique of the original. | |
| Acting | The acting is a point of contention: while the child actor is praised for his convincing performance, the lead character's portrayal is seen by some as lacking the pride and complexity of the original version. |