Three Raimus for the price of one: Les jumeaux de Brighton

Is this actually worth the watch?

If you're into dusty, theatrical French comedies from the thirties, yeah, sure. It’s a total relic, but there's a certain charm in watching an actor try to carry a whole movie by talking to himself in different wigs.

If you need your comedies to move fast or make any sense, skip it. You will probably find the whole thing exhausting. 🙄

The Raimu Show

It’s honestly kind of impressive how much screen presence Raimu has, even when he’s just acting against thin air. There’s a scene where he’s arguing with himself that feels like a rehearsal for a stage play that went off the rails.

The technical stuff is about as basic as it gets for the era. You can clearly see the split screens if you aren't squinting, and it doesn't really matter. It’s not trying to fool you, just entertain you.

The whole inheritance plot is just a flimsy excuse for people to run through doors and get confused. It reminds me a bit of the frantic energy in The Bachelor's Romance, though maybe a bit less polished around the edges.

Odd Little Moments

• The mustaches change size depending on which twin is on screen.
• There’s a weird amount of background noise in the exterior shots.
• One of the maids seems to be trying not to laugh in every single take.

The dialogue is super snappy, almost too much. It feels like everyone is fighting to finish their sentences before the camera cuts to the next person. Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s just a headache.

Don't expect some deep dive into the human condition. It’s just a silly, loud, very French mess. Sometimes that's exactly what you need on a Tuesday night. 🍷

I caught myself wondering if the writers ever got tired of the 'who is who' jokes. They really leaned into it. Maybe a little too much.