Mr. Stein Goes Online (2017) User Reviews (8)

Richard still got it

[Horst_In_Translation · 6/10 · 6 July 2017]

"Un profil pour deux" or "Mr. Stein Goes Online" is a French movie from this year (2017), very recent release written and directed by Stéphane Robelin. After three short films, this is also his third full feature film and we will see if it can get as popular as "All Together". If it does, then this will be mostly thanks to longtime French actor Pierre Richard, who is mostly known for the crime comedies he starred in next to Gérard Depardieu. In his 80s now, he proves to audiences and himself that he can still carry a film nicely. His character's name is Pierre as well. He was probably the main reason why I enjoyed this 100-minute movie. He may be first-cast here even, but still I would say that Yannis Lespert's character (Alex) is much more in the center of it all. The story starts with him as well and we see how he meets his future girlfriend and Pierre's granddaughter. Alex ends up as the internet teacher to Pierre and this connection quickly causes a lot of mayhem to them, some funny some not when Pierre starts exploring the internet on his own. And dating sites on the internet as well. This is where Fanny Valette (Fanny) comes into play. She gave a good performance too and her looks were really stunning of course.

I think there were some really good moments, some touching stuff too and the French once again show Germans how to make convincing films that are a mix of comedy and drama. Maybe our filmmakers learn something from them, so in the future we don't have to deal with Schweighöfer's and M'Barek's garbage hopefully. I would like to mention the one scene especially when the two male characters and three female characters end up together at the old man's apartment, not too far from the end anymore. That was comedy writing at its best really and I want to mention Stéphane Bissot because she was just amazing there, maybe the very best from the quintet. It's all good with this movie: the acting, the writing and even if there were minor weaknesses at times (really just tiny ones), there was nothing close to hurting the film overall. For example I liked how they included Pierre's deceased wife because she played a crucial role when it comes to his feelings, but at the same time they did not turn it into a sob story. I think one reason why French comedies are so far superior to Germans right now is also because the music is so much better and the soundtrack never tries to evoke emotion from a very cheap perspective.

In addition, it needs to be said that Richard's character felt very authentic. Some people may say why the hell would he even start with such an endeavor or why would he believe that Fanny had any romantic interest in him, but let me just say that old people understand signals differently and think differently when it comes to their approach and understanding of otherwise very clear situations. I am speaking from experience here. Anyway, maybe the lead performance by Lespert was a bit underwhelming, but it also needs to be said that his material is far from being as good as it seems and there was never a doubt in terms of the screenplay that he would play second fiddle to Richard, who is simply the star here. The film is a bit predictable, but I don't think that hurts it at all. For example it becomes easy to see that there is no perspective for the main character and the granddaughter when it comes to their relationship and that he will certainly end up with the other woman. I guessed this correctly already before he met Fanny. The one unpredictable aspect, however, was what would happen to Pierre. But here I guessed either he will die happily or will find someone via online dating too and yep that's how things eventually turned out too. Maybe the ending was a bit too happy for my taste as pretty much everybody ens up with who he wanted really. It's all good though. In terms of Pierre, I want to make a reference to some scenes. We see him in bed with Juliette and in bed with Fanny. We see his first meeting with Juliette and his first meeting with Fanny. And there you already see the major differences which make it obvious that there is no way he will end up with Juliette. Also the ways in which Juliette's ex-boyfriend is depicted as a likable fellow during the online webcam conversation or also how much Pierre likes him makes it easy to guess that he will get back together with Juliette.

As a whole, it was a truly enjoyable watch. I felt that they missed out on the perfect way to end it, namely the moment Fanny and Alex kiss and she forgave him and if the credits had rolled in there I may have thought about a higher rating perhaps even. But the scene at the bar was okay too and somewhat funny admittedly, even if it takes a bit of the significance away. It's a decent epilogue I guess. This one is certainly closer to getting four stars out of five than to getting only two stars out of five. One of the best 2017 comedies from 2017 I have seen so far and I very much recommend the watch.

Works better as a comedy than romance or drama

[IndustriousAngel · 7/10 · 23 April 2018]

A bit of an uneven ride, "Un profil pour deux" works mainly as a comedy. That's because the story feels extremely contrived - you don't mind that for a comedy, but anything more serious falls flat if you can't believe in the story or the characters. As to those characters, they're played mostly for laughs, too, except the three leads who have to carry the romance and drama. While Pierre Richard and Fanny Valette are excellent, Yaniss Lespert seems miscast, he's the weakest part of the trio. While those shortcomings keep it from being an A movie for me, "Un profil pour deux" is still a quick-footed and somewhat cute comedy with some bite to it, too - you won't be bored and you will snicker and smile.

Review

[barrlloyd · 10/10 · 10 September 2017]

I love this movie. With an excellent script, nothing heavy and with a very agile rhythm. Very good actors (all of them). I find it very luminous, it is never boring. And I've laughed a lot. I came out with very good taste of the cinema. I really recommend this movie. French Cinema is really good, and this film is a good proof.

comfortable

[Kirpianuscus · 5 April 2018]

First, because it is an old fashion love story. second, for its simplicity who use new elements only for the rehabilitation of classic French comedy. not the last, for Pierre Richard in a role who represents target for nostalgia of his admirers. all is seductive in the case of this film. the confusions, the romanticism, the humor, the crumbs from Cyrano de Bergerac, the end, conflicts and the fragile status of poor Alex. so, an invitation to escape in a familiar and comfortable universe.

Lack of original jokes, no one laughed for the entire run time.

[edoardosanguineti · 4/10 · 2 September 2017]

Jokes are repeated and overused and some "jokes" made laugh just a couple of people out of the entire auditorium. Unless you are pretty old like the grandpa there are 0 funny jokes. Fortunately there a story to follow and that makes up at least for the lack of original jokes in the movie.

The simplest is better

[beatlemaniac-79009 · 9/10 · 1 October 2017]

I just watched the movie. It has a moderate pace. The plot unfolds in due time. No doubt, his purpose as a comedy is well achieved, because he could make me laugh enough. The photograph set in the Parisian streets is well achieved. The ambient décor of Monsieur Pierre's apartment permeates the film with an atmosphere of nostalgia, denoting the state of widowhood of Pierre, who progressively becomes a stage with more life, after he starts using the internet. The soundtrack, repetitive and orchestrated with instruments used in the tango, seems to me excellent. I recommend the movie, it's worth seeing.

Traditional French farce meets traditional French melancholy

[Nozz · 9/10 · 20 December 2021]

Although the movie is exported with a title naming "Mr. Stein," I don't recall from the movie itself that his name is anything other than simply "Pierre" and he says that in his younger days he was sometimes called "Pierrot," a name straight out of the commedia del'arte. The raw materials of French farce, including a silly old man hanging on to a mismatch with a lovely young woman, are put to use here in a touching way rather than an uproarious way.

For us as an audience (okay, for me as an audience), this is very much old Pierre Richard's movie, and he carries it off superbly. Unfortunately, it wasn't written that way. The script gives as much weight, if not more, to his granddaughter's friend, an ineffectual fellow played by Yaniss Lespert. And while it's possible to look ineffectual and funny (and Pierre Richard could give a master class on that), Yaniss Lespert simply looks ineffectual. He's in an interesting situation, but he doesn't come across as an interesting person.

Still, the wheels of the plot turn smoothly, sometimes a little intricately. In one or two places, it's important to keep your eye on the screen because not everything is proclaimed in the dialogue. Strangely, for a movie written and directed by women, the female characters are a little undermotivated; but the atmosphere of the movie does embrace them and it's an atmosphere of mild loneliness and hope.

Fun comedy with substitution dilemma

[BogotaBoy · 8/10 · 11 October 2022]

Almost a classic story but the setting is different and the irony arises to make it interesting. The setting of an online entanglement for more normal people is enjoyably presented. Who will win out in their fantasy entanglement? It reminds me of the days when CB radios first came out and the same kinds of pseudo characters abounded. Wild that a German film company made a French movie too. It must be seen to be appreciated. Not quite but sort of a modern Cyrano de Bergerac not helping a friend but his son helping himself!

Now I am searching for a replay on our foreign film channel to review in more detail when I am more focused.