Horst in Translation ([email protected]) "Le petit Nicholas" or "Little Nick" is a French 90-minute movie from 6 years ago. It is 100% comedy from start to finish and all the slightly dramatic scenes also have a humorous undertone. I must say I enjoyed the watch here, just like I did for the sequel that stars several people from this film, but has a new kid as the title character, probably because Maxime Godart was too old for the role by 2014. Writer and director Laurent Tirard scored a couple prestigious nominations for his work here, a.o. at the Césars and European Film Awards. This film is certainly a good watch for younger audiences, but also grown-ups. In my opinion, there is not much of a story or plot in this film here. It is more of a collection of flashbacks and funny, slightly awkward situations. I found the kid who always has to go to the school room's corner pretty funny. This is also an example of how an actually serious situations gets a nice little undertone, for example when he shows the other boy the corner. The other boy, in this case, is the one who always gets the best grades. He was fairly funny as well.This is not a film that requires a great plot or great acting to work. There is a smart script here and it was nicely executed. I certainly recommend seeing it and I also recommend the sequel, which is very similar in terms of the basics, only that Little Nick makes holidays in that one. Oh yeah, the one who invented the character of Little Nick is René Goscinny, who also wrote the incredibly famous and entertaining Asterix books. I like the way Tirard elaborated on the character here, but even more how he elaborated on all the supporting characters. I cannot deny that, in my opinion, it was these that make the movie and they are also the ones who have the funniest scenes. These 1.5 hours may not be the right choice if you are looking for something really significant, but if you are in the mood for something easy with cute tongue-in-cheek humour that is not only French in theory but has some typical laissez-faire scenes, then "Le petit Nicholas" is a good pick. Thumbs up.

[email protected] It has been suggested that this film is a Gallic style Diary of a Wimpy Kid type of film. In both style and approach it is very much closer to the wonderful 1980 Australian Classic 'Fatty Finn', and is much the better film as a result, especially for the adults in the audience. Maxime Godart apparently effortlessly becomes the character of Nicolas, who has a very clear take on events around him, as most boys his age do. This film brings back to me all the joys and fears of my own eight year old life, and it is a joy to see that the rest of the cast get into the spirit of Nicolas' world with relish. Watch this film, and enjoy being a child again! Better still, watch it with your own children and enjoy being the same age as them!

Reno Rangan The movie was so cute and fun. It has been 4 years since it was released and I wonder where is its sequel, because this movie deserves one or maybe those who loved it will anticipate like I do. The characters were very well created and developed, the timing of jokes was excellent. When I saw Kad Merad on the first frame of his appearance in this movie, I could not control myself from laughing and knew it would be an awesome and I gonna have a nice time with it. And I did.This movie was based on a series of French children's books. It reminds me 'Diary of a wimpy kid', about a kid who had his own imagination and mistook the occasion he witnessed with his parents which makes him to act quickly to make it right. So the little Nicolas forms a little gang from his school friends and theirs adventure is ours (audience) fun ride.As a children movie fan I loved it from my heart and wanted more of it which was lasted for just 90 minutes. Watching a movie like it make me a kid, sometime it will recall my childhood memories. I feel I am so lucky to see it and hope you won't miss after reading this review. Highly recommended for kids movie fans.

writers_reign It's not too difficult to see why this carried all before it at the French Box Office in 2009 and an uncredited cameo by Gerard Junot in a sly dig at/nod to his own multi-award winner Le Chorus is only frosting on a wonderful celebratory cake designed to appeal to both les enfants and les parents, a concoction in which Alain Chabat, the multi-talented and highly accomplished actor-writer-director had an authorial hand, one of five that prove that too many cooks don't always spoil the broth. The source material although beloved in France is almost totally unknown in England but the ensemble playing by the kids plus a great trio of adults - Valerie Lemercier, Kad Merad and Sandrine Kiberlain, playing her second school teacher on the bounce - render this academic. Nor need the plot - despite being secure in the love of his parents and friends Nicholas convinces himself that his parents are trying for another child that will eclipse him - detain us unduly. This is a film of observation and the observation is spot on. Roll on the DVD.