The War in the Buttons (La Guerre des boutons)

A UGC Distribution relieve single World Films production, in colaboration with TF1 Droits Audiovisuels, TF1 Films, Ces Films du Gorak, while using participation of Backup Films, Hoche Artois Images, Ufilm, Ufund, TF1, TPS Star. (Worldwide sales: TF1 Intl, Paris.) Produced by Matthew Gledhill. Executive producer, Marc du Pontavice. Directed, put together by Yann Samuell, good novel by Louis Pergaud.With: Eric Elmosnino, Mathilde Seigner, Fred Testot, Alain Chabat, Vincent Bres, Salome Lemire, Theo Bertrand, Tristan Vichard, Tom Rivoire, Louis Lefevbre, Victor le Blond, Arthur Garnier, June Maitre, Paloma Lebeaut, Theo Fernandez, Arno Feffer.Two bands of rowdy French kids from neighboring countryside cities duke it for supremacy using large mouths and small slingshots in "The War in the Buttons," the initial of two new adaptations of Louis Pergaud's novel. Occur 1960, scribe-helmer Yann Samuell's enjoyable pic uses the distant Algerian War just like a backdrop with an look for maturing and saying an individual's independence, without becoming excessively didactic or losing the sheer exuberance to become a ten-year-old. Sept. 14 opening was solid, nevertheless the rival adaptation, released Sept. 21, will eat into its B.O. potential. After two Coco Chanel biopics, the "War in the Buttons" war is French cinema's latest clash of similarly designed films, here triggered since the 1912 novel's rights fell into the public domain recently. The Rabelais-esque tale is part of the French curriculum, though "War's" well-known comes mostly from Yves Robert's oft-public film adaptation from 1962, which colored a bleak picture of existence inside the French provinces (the story appeared to become shot in British by John Roberts in 1994). Whereas uncle Christopher Barratier has selected to produce his new adaptation within the mid nineteen forties, Samuell ("Love Me in the event you Dare") has chosen for 1960, enabling him to permit the war in the grownups, the Algerian War, unspool mostly offscreen. Every once in awhile, however, it's strongly brought to existence in dialogue, most particularly when the father (Arno Feffer) in the only girl in the group, Lanterne (Salome Lemire), returns home right in front and describes the problems he's experienced to his neighbor, Lanterne's classmate Lebrac (Vincent Bres). Lebrac's teacher, Mr. Merlin (Eric Elmosnino), sees potential inside the boy, though Lebrac's stern, widowed mother (Mathilde Seigner) wants him to assist at their farm after which it be a student, and so the boy would bring home some much-needed dough. In Samuell's retelling, 10-year-old Lebrac might be the pivot that the story turns, wonderful other figures existing mainly in relationship to him. This allows the scribe-helmer to look at teacher-pupil, mother-boy and boy-girl associations because the feud between Lebrac's gang which in the "Aztec" (Theo Bertrand), in the parish nearby, ferments (and every once in awhile explodes) without anyone's understanding. The tactic offers the sprawling and episodic tale a highly effective focus, even though it entails that associations that don't involve Lebrac, such as the competition between Mr. Merlin and also the friend within the other village (Alain Chabat), should never be quite integrated. Types of private liberty and responsibility run throughout, despite the fact that Samuell doesn't say anything new or deep on these subjects, they're doing provide further narrative glue. Correctly, with an adaptation from the book famous due to its flowery prose, the pic will also get plenty of mileage from clever wordplay (frequently including swear words) which will need linguistic acrobatics in subtitles. Newcomer Lebres is bullets, equally credible just like a rousing teen leader together with a pensive youth fighting with large questions and issues. He's ornamented having a ragtag gang of cute and able youngsters, because the grownups are professional, with Elmosnino ("Gainsbourgh") the standout as Lebrac's sincere teacher. Plenty of "War's" energy arises from its agile cutting and camerawork, which follows the kids around simply because they play and fight, though Samuell every once in awhile goes overboard within the manipulation in the vibrant colors and saturation levels. A famous scene, through which Lebrac's gang fights naked to avoid getting their competitors stop their clothes' buttons as punishment (hence the title), expires-to-date with a a bit more staid version here, imaginatively staged in the area where the wheat, just sufficient, doubles as fig leaves. Score by Klaus Badelt isn't particularly memorable, as well as the periodic usage of electronic instruments doesn't jive while using pic's gently nostalgic vibe.Camera (color, widescreen, 35mm-to-HD), Julien Hirsch editor, Sylvie Landra music, Klaus Badelt production designer, Pierre-Francois Limbosch costume designer, Charlotte now now David appear (Dolby), Nicolas Cantin effects supervisor, Olivier p Laveleye stunt coordinator, Dominique Fouassier assistant director, Valerie Othnin-Girard casting, Stephane Batut, Julie Davod. Examined at Mon Cine, Anglet, France, Sept. 18, 2011. Running time: 109 MIN. Contact Boyd van Hoeij at news@variety.com