The Players (2012)

The Players Poster
Original Title: Les infidèles

Eight short films explore the subject of male infidelity. Serial cheaters, Fred and Greg, spend a night on the town doing what they do best, and with absolutely no regrets. The duo play various characters in assorted extracurricular situations, ranging from sexist to the darker sides of carnal desires.

Film Overview
"The Players" is a 2012 French comedy movie directed by Emmanuelle Bercot, Fred Cavayé, Alexandre Courtes, Jean Dujardin, Michel Hazanavicius, Jan Kounen, Eric Lartigau, and Gilles Lellouche. This film is an anthology of short movies around the theme of infidelity, emphasizing the comedic weave of everything. The lead roles are played by Academy Award winner Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche, commanding every brief movie with their impressive performances.

Plot Intricacies
"The Players" is a collection of 8 short stories, each directed by a different director but all featuring the lead duo, Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche. Each story explores the concept of cheating from distinct angles. The characters embody differing personalities from married business people to single guys on the prowl, each time checking out a brand-new facet of unfaithful.

The Shorts and their Themes
In "The Question," 2 family men question the significance and significance of their affairs. "The Good Conscience" finds a male creating a fantastically intricate system to hide his adulterous activities. "The Infidel" presents a man driven crazy, thinking his wife of adultery. "The Lovers" shows the same scenario but in reverse, a man with 2 families adoring him. "Las Vegas" is about a bachelor party in Vegas that goes a bit too far. "The Divorce" makes use of the consequences of a couple's separation, and the consequitive brand-new relationships they form. "The Rupture" shares the story of a guy trying to break off his affair in the most unusual method. In "The Prologue," 2 males trade jokes about their particular adulteries.

Performances
Jean Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche take on various characters in every story and impressively present the wide range of men's attitudes and reactions towards cheating. Dujardin commands each function with a certain charisma, highlighting the subtleties of his characters. Lellouche also leaves a mark by embodying fundamentally various characters across the narratives.

Style and Reception
"The Players" is known for its comedic method to a largely controversial topic, infidelity. Although this technique may prove uneasy for some, it works efficiently due to its short film format, permitting problems to be presented and resolved within a succinct timeline. Movies' reception, nevertheless, was combined among critics and audiences. Some applauded the innovative conceptualization and execution of short stories, whereas others slammed the possibly off-putting topic and representations.

Conclusion
"The Players", with its distinct structure and distinct narratives provided by a star-studded cast, uses viewers a various point of view on extramarital relations, underpinned with humor. While the stories are varied, each is a significant expedition of human relationships, desire, and unfaithfulness. Each narrative may stand alone, but together they create a remarkable take a look at the lots of faces of extramarital relations, striking a balance between humor and thought-provoking commentary.

Top Cast

  • Jean Dujardin (small)
    Jean Dujardin
    Fred / Olivier / François / Laurent / James
  • Gilles Lellouche (small)
    Gilles Lellouche
    Greg / Nicolas / Bernard / Antoine / Eric
  • Géraldine Nakache (small)
    Géraldine Nakache
    Christine
  • Alexandra Lamy (small)
    Alexandra Lamy
    Lisa
  • Priscilla de Laforcade (small)
    Priscilla de Laforcade
    Maud
  • Florine Delobel (small)
    Florine Delobel
    Flora
  • Guillaume Canet (small)
    Guillaume Canet
    Thibault
  • Sandrine Kiberlain (small)
    Sandrine Kiberlain
    Marie-Christine
  • Isabelle Nanty (small)
    Isabelle Nanty
    Stéphanie
  • Manu Payet (small)
    Manu Payet
    Simon
  • Mathilda May (small)
    Mathilda May
    Ariane