The Second Act

3/20/2026

Louis Garrel can’t really do wrong in my book, but in this rather daft comedy I thought his thunder rather effectively stolen by Raphaël Quenard and by Manuel Guillot. “David” (Garrel) and his best pal “Willy” (Quenard) are walking to a restaurant rendezvous with a girl whom the former man is trying to palm off on the latter. “Willy” is somewhat sceptical of this largesse and assumes that she has two heads, or perhaps a few additionally unwelcome appendages, but “David” insists she’s the real deal. Walking to the restaurant from the other direction is said girl and her father. “Florence” (Léa Seydoux) and “Guillaume” (Vincent Lindon) are having as equally an animated conversation and so we are set for a lively lunch. It turns out that she has no idea that “Willy” is coming and pretty swift