Une année difficile

Save the planet or save themselves? Albert and Bruno are up to their necks in debt, barely keeping afloat through shady schemes. Mostly by chance – and lured by free beer and snacks – they end up at a gathering of young environmental activists. While they can hardly relate to the protesters’ ideals, they are immediately taken with the passionate leader, Cactus. Quick to exploit the group’s energy for their own ends, they even start letting blocked drivers pass for money. But it doesn’t take long before their deceit threatens to be exposed.

The films of the French directing duo Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano («Intouchables», «C'est la vie», «Hors normes») have been huge hits in France. With «Une année difficile», they bring together a delightfully charming ensemble cast featuring Noémie Merlant, Pio Marmaï, and Jonathan Cohen, whose witty performances bridge seemingly irreconcilable differences.