Compulsive spenders Bruno (Jonathan Cohen) and Albert (Pio Marmaï) bond over their shared financial woes and take hopeless lessons in debt-reduction from Henri (Mathieu Amalric, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly), who hides a chronic gambling addiction. Up to their necks in debt, they crash an environmental activists’ meeting, primarily for the free beer and snacks. There they meet enigmatic group leader, code-named Cactus (Noémie Merlant) and sparks begin to fly. The pair are soon embroiled in the group’s elaborate environmental demonstrations, without much conviction, and for all the wrong reasons. A riotous screwball comedy from the directors of The Intouchables, A Difficult Year makes political points with a light touch.

Notes by David O’Mahony

Screening as part of the IFI French Film Festival, November 15 – 26.