Watch Chouchou

Chouchou is a French comedy film directed by Merzak Allouache and released in 2003. The movie stars Gad Elmaleh in the title role, Alain Chabat as Monsieur Steiner, and Claude Brasseur as Father Leon. The story revolves around Chouchou, a young gay man from North Africa who flea his country to reach France in order to reunite with his cousin, who lives in Paris. Once in Paris, Chouchou begins working as a drag artist and lands a job as a nanny for a wealthy family thanks to Steiner, at whom he quickly develops a crush.

The plot of the movie is a lighthearted comedy that explores themes like sexuality, immigration, and cultural differences. The film's plot centres around Chouchou's experiences as he struggles to find his place in Paris while trying to overcome daily obstacles, such as language barriers, discrimination, and prejudice. As he navigates this foreign world, Chouchou manages to form unique and heartfelt relationships with those who accept him for who he is, despite their differences.

Gad Elmaleh delivers a breakout performance as Chouchou, displaying a genuine emotional range and fantastic comedic timing. He perfectly captures the character's optimism, resilience, and eccentricity, which makes it easy for the audience to empathize with him. Alain Chabat and Claude Brasseur also put in strong performances as they play the parts of more established and complicated characters in Chouchou's life.

Throughout the movie, the director manages to keep the tone of the story light, and uses Chouchou's humorous personality to bring much-needed levity to the more serious topics this film is trying to highlight. The movie also features a diverse cast with a broad range of personalities and cultural backgrounds, which lends authenticity to the conversations and interactions Chouchou experiences. This helps in making the viewer connect with the character's journey and learn to respect and value other cultures and belief systems.

Chouchou also makes efforts at exploring the challenges of integrating immigrants into a new society. For instance, Chouchou's cousin, the only family he has in France, seems to be a successful lawyer who has managed to integrate into French society seamlessly without losing his cultural individuality. By highlighting such characters, the movie elaborates the contrasting experiences of those who come to France as immigrants, with some being able to integrate so well, and others struggling just to belong.

The film also explores the gay and drag culture, which was still taboo in the early 2000s France to some extent. Therefore, the movie's portrayal of the personal struggles encountered by Chouchou as he grapples with his sexuality contributes to generating empathy from viewers. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that Merzak Allouache does not shy away from explicit humour, even when venturing into such subjects.

The movie's soundtrack is another strength. The tracks selected by the director were very fitting, and the score that accompanies the whole film is both quirky and genuinely romantic. All in all, it's a great choice for the mood and energy, always perfectly balanced with the tone of the film.

Overall, Chouchou is a memorable and humorous film that tells an entertaining and heartfelt story while also offering social commentary on integration, sexuality, and cultural differences. Gad Elmaleh's star performance as Chouchou, the impressive supporting cast, well-written dialogues and engaging plot make it a must-watch for fans of French cinema. As the films draws to a close and the credits roll, viewers will be left with a sense of endearment for Chouchou and all those who welcomed him into their lives. Our unsaid wish becomes a hope that there will be a time when moving to a different country won't have to be this difficult for people to find their happy ending.

Chouchou is a 2003 comedy with a runtime of 1 hour and 45 minutes. It has received mostly poor reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 4.7.