Foreign dramedy captures what it's like to be the social outcast

"My Best Friend" is a dramedy about two people on the lowest rungs of the social ladder and the opportunity they get to ultimately improve themselves. It is an effective character study with some humorous and dramatic sections that make the film worth seeing.

Francois Coste (Daniel Auteuil) is an antiques dealer who isn't very personable and incredibly selfish. He only cares about his affairs, not taking the time to give a thought to others around him. His associates at the dealership are well aware of this, so when he insists he has a best friend, they are skeptical and bet him to produce this friend in ten days.

Bruno (Dany Boon) is the complete opposite, yet he too finds himself without a friend. He is so personable and talkative that anyone he knows is driven away from him. When the two first meet, Francois disregards Bruno, but as soon as he sees how sociable he is, he tries to learn from him on how to be social, and thus gain a friend.

This leads to a comical scene at a park in which Francois goes up to random people and tries to talk to them. He makes various errors which make the people try to get away from him. It is quite funny to see a man clearly out of his element here.

The fish-out-of-water aspect of the film just goes to show how great of a performance Auteuil puts on. He is incredibly stoic and emotionless for most of the film, and when he finally tries to break his shell, it is very believable.

Boon, as Bruno, goes through a varying range of emotions throughout the film. His character at first seems to be jolly and kind, but as the film goes on and more is discovered about the character, he takes a more serious side.

Boon goes through these emotions naturally and portrays the character extremely well.

The film does start a bit slowly with some scenes that don't really hit their mark in terms of comedy. The humor in this section is a bit unfunny and might lead some to dislike the film at first.

However, as soon as Francois and Bruno meet, the film starts rolling, hitting comedic and dramatic notes effectively.

It is humorous to see Francois desperately seeking advice about friendships from Bruno, not realizing that Bruno is the answer to all of his problems.

It is at around this point the most poignant part of the movie. Here the film ramps up the dramatic ante and the characters finally seek to better themselves. They make huge mistakes, and when they seek redemption, the characters finally realize the error of their ways.

By having comedic parts, the audience can like the characters more and become interested in them. So when these characters get entrenched in more serious affairs, the viewers are right there with them, sympathizing with their feelings.

Something that may be discouraging to some viewers is that in some places, the subtitles become hard to read. They are small and white, so against light backgrounds, the subtitles blend right in and are virtually invisible. This is minor and not a hit against the film itself, but it would be nice to have clear and easily readable subtitles.

With that aside, the film shows that even the most self-absorbed man can be turned around and eventually come to realize the importance of friendship. It becomes more than a simple bet, but a life-changing experience.