Almost Legal
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2024 |
| Founder | Max Mauroux (writer-director) |
| Headquarters | France |
| Products | Teen comedy film |
| Parent | Gaumont |
Almost Legal () is a 2024 French teen film comedy film marking the feature debut of writer-director Max Mauroux. The movie features emerging young talent in leading roles, complemented by veteran actors such as Marie-Anne Chazel, François Levantal, Olivier Marchal, and Jérôme Niel in supporting capacities. The storyline centers on two idlers from the Arcachon Bay region who clandestinely take over a small grocery store to operate a nighttime alcohol business catering to summer tourists. It premiered at the L'Alpe d'Huez Film Festival in January 2024 and was subsequently released in cinemas across France and Belgium on 17 July 2024. Despite its €5.84 million production budget, the film earned roughly €258,000 at the box office and was met with largely unfavorable critical feedback.
Cast
- Marley Duboscq portraying Félix
- Joseph Pierre as Vincent
- Léo Castell in the role of Léo
- Marie-Anne Chazel playing Yvette
- Sawsan Abès as Marie-Lou
- François Levantal cast as Patrick
- Olivier Marchal in the role of Father
- Joaquim Fossi as Jean-Benoît
- Jérôme Niel portraying Guillaume
- Jean-Claude Muaka as Antoine
- Manel Benyoucef playing Elie
Production
Originally named Les Nouveaux Patrons (The New Bosses), principal photography commenced on 15 May 2023 and spanned 33 days, primarily shot in Arcachon, which is also the hometown of Mauroux. Additional filming took place in Bordeaux and La Teste-de-Buch. The project is an adaptation of Mauroux's earlier short film Danemark and incorporated test screenings during post-production to fine-tune its comedic timing.
Release
The film had its debut screening on 18 January 2024 at the competitive section of the L'Alpe d'Huez Film Festival. It was later featured in special presentations at the Festival du Film de Demain in Vierzon on 1 June, followed by premieres in both Villenave-d'Ornon and La Teste-de-Buch on 3 July. The wide theatrical rollout occurred on 17 July 2024, distributed by Gaumont across 282 screens in France and by Athena Films in Belgium. In France, it received a classification suitable for all audiences, while Belgium rated it for viewers aged over 12 due to depictions of alcohol and drug use. Gaumont handles international sales.
Marketing
The film’s official trailer was unveiled on 30 May 2024.
Home media
Gaumont plans to release the movie on DVD within France on 20 November 2024.
Box office
By 7 August 2024, Almost Legal had sold approximately 35,570 tickets domestically, generating around €258,000 based on an average ticket price of €7.24.
In its opening week, the film ranked 14th at the French box office with sales of 25,683 tickets, averaging about three viewers per screening. It lagged behind recent releases such as Twisters (4th), King of My Castle (film) (6th), and Santosh (10th), but outperformed The Trouble with Jessica (15th). During its second week, attendance declined sharply by 69% to 7,953 tickets sold, causing it to drop out of the Top 20 rankings. The third week saw a further decrease of 76%, with only 1,934 tickets purchased.
Critical response
Critics generally responded unfavorably to the film, which holds an average rating of two out of five stars on AlloCiné, based on three reviews.
Clément Canaux from praised the ensemble’s chemistry, comedic elements, pacing, and setting, particularly highlighting performances by Sawsan Abès and Jérôme Niel.
In a moderately positive review for Sud Ouest, Stéphane C. Jonathan noted 's inventive soundtrack and compared the film’s style to American comedies like Superbad and Clerks.
On the other hand, Yohan Haddad’s critique in Télérama described the movie as a "complete failure" lacking redeeming qualities.
While not providing a formal review, Solène Delinger of Europe 1 lauded Sawsan Abès as the "breakout star of 2024" due to her remarkable performance.
Accolades
| Award or Festival | Ceremony Date | Award Category | Nominee(s) | Outcome | Template:Ref heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| L'Alpe d'Huez Film Festival | 20 January 2024 | Grand Prix | Max Mauroux | Template:Nom | [1] |
External links
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