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Players, The (18)

Comedy

A series of short films set around the theme of infidelity.


The critical consensus

It’s telling that only one of the shorts (La Question, in which a married couple confess to cheating on each) is directed by a woman; greater female input might have alleviated the film’s tiresome chauvinism.

**(*)(*)(*)Tom Dawson, Total Film, 29/06/2012

Often funny, outrageously vulgar in places and very, very French.

***(*)(*)David Hughes, Empire Online, 02/07/2012

Some [of the stories] are a thought-provoking (a married couple confessing their infidelities) but most are crude and silly.

**(*)(*)(*)Henry Fitzherbert, Daily Express, 04/07/2012

The only thing that could make this worse would be Bérénice Bejo starring in a remake of Showgirls.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Anthony Quinn, The Independent, 06/07/2012

Never has the male of the species looked so loathsomely funny.

****(*)David Edwards, Daily Record, 06/07/2012

Proves that Dujardin can extend his range well beyond the boulevard smirk and the Brylcreemed charm.

***(*)(*)Nigel Andrews, Financial Times, 05/07/2012

If only the transitions in and out of the dollops of broad sex comedy weren't such a bumpy ride.

***(*)(*)Henry Barnes, The Guardian, 05/07/2012

Tedious, superficial and often sexist. Just have an affair instead.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Bethany Rutter, Little White Lies, 05/07/2012

Won't play outside France.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Chris Tookey, Daily Mail, 06/07/2012

Pointless, boorish skits.

*(*)(*)(*)(*)Tim Robey, The Telegraph, 06/07/2012

Dujardin and Gilles Lellouche are the brains behind a series of skits on male adultery, whose team of directors includes The Artist's Michel Hazanavicius. They peak at competence, but are mostly excruciating.

Demetrios Matheou, The Independent on Sunday, 08/07/2012

A film so toxic that, had it been widely seen earlier this year, it would have ruined The Artist's Jean Dujardin's chances of his best actor Oscar.

Jason Solomons, The Observer, 08/07/2012

While not quite funny enough to cut it as pure comedy, nor emotionally probing enough to be a great drama, The Players is still a pleasingly frank and, at times, guiltily daft take on a very sticky subject.

***(*)(*)Emma Simmonds, The List, 11/07/2012

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