The Valet
Sony Pictures Classics | Release Date: April 20, 2007 CRITIC SCORE DISTRIBUTION
68
METASCORE
Generally favorable reviews based on 23 Critic Reviews
Positive:
19
Mixed:
2
Negative:
2
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Critic Reviews

Critic scorePublicationBy date
91
Entertainment WeeklyLisa Schwarzbaum
A satisfying contraption of twists, missteps, and blithe repartee that produces old-fashioned, honestly earned guffaws. Read full review
90
Los Angeles TimesKenneth Turan
A complete master of cinematic farce, Veber's latest venture, The Valet, makes creating deliciously funny comedy look a lot easier than it has any right to. Read full review
80
The Hollywood ReporterBernard Besserglik
Francis Veber's latest offering, remains faithful to the formula -- broad farce leavened with witty dialogue -- that has made him France's most bankable comedy writer-director and a surefire hit with international audiences. Read full review
80
The New York TimesStephen Holden
If you love to hate the superrich, The Valet, a delectable comedy in which the great French actor Daniel Auteuil portrays a piggy billionaire industrialist facing his comeuppance, is a sinfully delicious bonbon. Read full review
80
Chicago ReaderJ.R. Jones
This sublime French farce reminded me most of Billy Wilder. Read full review
80
Washington PostAnn Hornaday
Kristin Scott Thomas delivers an unnervingly smooth performance as Auteuil's suspicious wife. Read full review
75
New York Daily NewsElizabeth Weitzman
An old-fashioned joy. Read full review
75
San Francisco ChronicleMick LaSalle
An enjoyable farce, with lots of laughs and a strong cast. At 80 minutes long, it's that rare case of a short film that should have been longer. Read full review
75
Seattle Post-IntelligencerWilliam Arnold
Far from his best work ("Le Placard," "Le Jaguar"), but even off-form Veber has its moments of inspiration and the movie is definitely worth seeing. Read full review
75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)Rick Groen
When Veber is on form there's no one better. And when he's not, well, give The Valet a look anyway -- there's still much to admire. Read full review
75
Baltimore SunMichael Sragow
The original French title is "La Doublure," but The Valet fits Veber. He has become a one-man service industry when it comes to spreading Gallic barbed humor and good cheer. Read full review
70
VarietyLisa Nesselson
Layers of intrigue mesh with Hollywood-style efficiency, pitting sincere feelings against ruthlessly mercenary machinations. Also in Hollywood style, sincerity and integrity carry the day. Read full review
70
Village VoiceRobert Wilonsky
Of all of Francis Veber's farces (The Dinner Game, La Cage Aux Folles, etc.), this is the one that feels most like a sitcom pilot, which is to say it's a farce most forced. Read full review
70
The New YorkerAnthony Lane
The Valet does not show Veber at his best. His palate for misunderstandings of every vintage is as refined as ever; what he has lost is his taste for human failing. Read full review
63
PremiereGlenn Kenny
Its punchline, imagining the worst that could happen to Auteuil's slimy exec, is weak and kind of dumb, but the rest of the film is genial, appealing, and brisk. Read full review
63
New York PostKyle Smith
As always in Veber's films, the predictability is part of the fun. Read full review
63
Chicago TribuneMichael Phillips
Veber's early stage training serves him well both as an adapter (he wrote the "La Cage aux Folles" screenplay) and as a maker of originals though, truth be told, The Valet isn't especially original. Read full review
63
Boston GlobeTy Burr
The new movie is tart and weightless, and it entertains without leaving a mark. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but at 85 minutes, The Valet at times feels like a blueprint for a farce rather than the farce itself. Read full review
63
Philadelphia InquirerSteven Rea
This mildly amusing tale of infidelity, blackmail, class differences and corporate greed not only strains credulity - it strains for laughs. Read full review
60
SalonAndrew O'Hehir
A sunny, cheerful, thoroughly artificial concoction, going nowhere with no particular speed. Still, better than your average airplane movie. Read full review
58
Portland OregonianShawn Levy
With so much potential, The Valet is disappointingly flat and wan, with few of the moments of cringe-and-laughter-inducing mortification that are Veber's stock in trade. Read full review
38
TV Guide MagazineMaitland McDonagh
The films of writer/director Francis Veber are a bracing reminder that French comedies can be every bit as broad, unsophisticated and cliched as their American counterparts. Read full review
30
Austin ChronicleToddy Burton
Shot with the creative energy of a mediocre sitcom, the scenes play out predictable plot devices with minimal creativity and even less risk. Read full review
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