Une histoire d'amour à la con

Pascal and Hélène cross paths at Françoise's birthday, and what starts as a chance meeting soon complicates several people's romantic lives. Pascal confides in his friend Gérard, and as feelings shift, Gérard and Françoise begin their own awkward affair. The film watches these overlapping connections with a light touch, focusing on misunderstandings, flirtations, and the small hypocrisies that come out when people mix pleasure with loyalty. Scenes flip between tender moments and comic discomfort, keeping the tone breezy while showing how familiar habits can tangle new attachments.

Written and directed by Henri-Paul Korchia, the movie premiered in 1996 and features Jacques Gamblin as Gérard Delmont, Sophie Tellier as Françoise, Françoise Muranyi-Kovacs as Hélène, with supporting turns from Frédéric Diefenthal and Féodor Atkine. It’s a compact French comedy built around a small ensemble and everyday settings.

The film had a modest theatrical life in France and did not produce widely reported box office figures, so it remains more of a niche entry than a mainstream hit.

It never entered the wider cultural conversation in a major way, but its cheeky title and the presence of Jacques Gamblin have kept it on the radar for some fans of 1990s French comedies. Collectors of offbeat romantic comedies sometimes mention it as a curiosity worth seeking out for its particular mood and cast.

Critical and audience responses were mixed, and available ratings reflect a lukewarm reception, with an average score of 4.8 out of 10 from a small number of votes. Reviewers and viewers who appreciate low-key, character-driven humor might enjoy the film’s awkward scenes and dry performances, while others find the plotting uneven. Major themes include tangled relationships, miscommunication, and how ordinary social rituals like a birthday party can unsettle established routines.