Also known as The Closet
Released in 2001, this French film by Francis Veber deals with the benefits and perils of being a gay employee of a large corporation. Or not, as the case may be.
Cast
Daniel Auteuil: Francois Pignon
Gérard Depardieu: Felix Santini
Thierry Lhermitte: Guillaume
Michele Laroque: Mlle Bertrand
Michel Aumont: the neighbour
Synopsis
Francois, an accountant for a condom manufacturer, is about to be fired. His wife, the love of his life, left him two years ago and his teenage son wants nothing to do with him. All of this, because he's so unbearably dull.
On the verge of suicide, Francois is distracted by his new neighbour who tells him to save his job by coming out of the closet. Suddenly everyone is interested in him, the homophobic rugby coach is his best friend, and his son has a new respect for the parent formerly referred to as "a drag".
Being perceived as a gay man certainly saves his job, but it also turns the rest of his life upside-down. Poor Francois is assaulted in a parking garage, forced to humiliate himself as the centre-piece in a gay pride parade and subjected to the catty remarks of his female co-workers.
When all is said and done, the film makes for an interesting comment on being gay in a decidedly heterosexual world. Or not, as the case may be.
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