Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy
At Cannes, a desperate publicist and an unlikely bodyguard turn a disastrous movie promotion into a gleefully absurd murder-comedy spectacle.
Overview
A darkly comedic twist on the film industry where chaos reigns at Cannes.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Mild
- irreverent
- witty
- frantic
- cult movie night
- french comedy night
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Odile promotes the unsuccessful film Red is Dead at Cannes while journalists, projectionists, and festival insiders become part of the farce.
The slasher-style Red is Dead is screened at the festival, and its fictional villain appears to be killing projectionists in real life.
Serial killings, a sickle-wielding villain, and vomiting are framed through broad, irreverent jokes and escalating physical comedy.
Several lines from the film became cult expressions in France and were reused across other media.
Films like Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy, and why
The Visitors
absurd french ensemble comedy, media satire, and escalating crime parody
The Dinner Game
cult french farce with irreverent humor, broad physical comedy, and quotable dialogue
The Player
film-industry satire combining parody, murder mystery conventions, and dark comic absurdity
Bowfinger
self-aware comedy built around cinema references, exaggerated characters, and chaotic genre spoofing
Movie Details
- Director
- Alain Berbérian
- Release Date
- 1994-03-09
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (1380)
Cast
- Chantal Lauby
- Alain Chabat
- Dominique Farrugia
- Gérard Darmon
- Sam Karmann
- Jean-Christophe Bouvet
- Eric Prat
- Marc de Jonge
- Valérie Lemercier
- Patrick Lizana
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy about?
- At Cannes, a desperate publicist and an unlikely bodyguard turn a disastrous movie promotion into a gleefully absurd murder-comedy spectacle.
- What is Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy as mild.
- Which films are like Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy?
- Films with a similar feel include The Visitors, The Dinner Game, The Player, and Bowfinger.
- How long is Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy?
- Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy runs 100 minutes.
- Where can I watch Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy?
- In United States, Fear City: A Family-Style Comedy is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video.
