So Long, Stooge

In the backstreets of Paris, Lambert runs a nocturnal service station with a stubborn streak and a fondness for a quiet bottle. He prefers his own company to the company of others, at least until a troubled drug dealer named Youseff Bensoussan staggers in on a stolen moped, claiming he just needs a spark plug. What follows is an unlikely bond formed in the glow of fluorescent lights and late night traffic, as two men from different worlds drift toward a fragile alliance amid the city's criminal underbelly. The film keeps the focus on mood, trust, and survival. Its neon glow and the quiet chatter of the streets heighten the sense of risk and ambiguity. Its mood lingers after hours.

Directed by Claude Berri, So Long, Stooge draws on material by Alain Page. The film situates a gritty personal drama in urban Paris, blending crime with character driven storytelling that was a hallmark of early 80s French cinema and realism.

Box office data for So Long, Stooge isn't provided in information. The film is a Paris crime drama featuring Coluche as Lambert and Richard Anconina as Youseff Bensoussan, anchored by strong performances. Supporting players include Agnès Soral and Mahmoud Zemmouri.

The film captures a nighttime Paris mood that fans of crime dramas often cite as a defining aspect of its era. Coluche and Anconina deliver performances that anchor a story about trust formed under pressure rather than flashy violence. Its approach influenced later French crime narratives mix humor with grit.

Critics respond to the film with its spare mood and approach. The story probes isolation, moral ambiguity, and strains of friendship that grow where crime and survival collide, offering a counterpoint to glossy crime tales. It also marks Coluche's shift from comedian to dramatic actor, a move noted by critics.