A Difficult Year

The latest from the jackpot writing-directing team Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano (Les Intouchables; The Specials) is a buddy comedy which finds a wry and original perspective on the serious theme of climate change denialism. Albert (Pio Marmaï) and Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) are unlikely heroes: their unscrupulous, excessive and addictive lifestyles bring them to thievery and homelessness; in fact they meet when Bruno attempts to steal Albert’s TV. They attend an eco activist meeting for the free drinks, but stick around when the charming Valentine (Noémie Merlant, Portrait of a Lady on Fire) takes an interest in them. Soon they’re participating in demonstrations and applying their skill-sets to saving the planet, but only to get close to the girl…

Hilarious… the filmmakers pull hard on the comedy lever and lean on their very sure, sincere and caring sense of empathy in order to convey their political message.

Fabien Lemercier, Cineuropa

There’s a simple charm to A Difficult Year as it makes some really complex social statements wrapped inside a charming love story and comedy of errors that is quite hard to look away from.

David Voigt, In the Seats