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Shiny Shrimps (The)

Country: France, Language: French, 100 mins

Original Title

Les Crevettes Pailletées
  • Director: Maxime Govare; Cédric Le Gallo
  • Writer: Maxime Govare; Cédric Le Gallo
  • Producer: Renaud Chélélékian

CGiii Comment

Hallelujah...a 'gay' film that's not afraid of being [totally and unashamedly] gay! Nor is it afraid of being completely politically incorrect...and that's as refreshing as jumping into an Arctic ice-pool just after a hot, sweaty sauna.

This is as camp as camp can be...and, no doubt, will offend some of the more sensitive snowflakes out there, a few lesbians might [also] get the hump, grumpy old [gay] activists too! In fact...quite a few people will find something to moan at...let them moan...because, this is stereotypical heaven! Deliciously so!

Hey...if we can't laugh at ourselves with ourselves, what's the bloody point!?! Once upon a time, in the bad old days, being gay was fun...unencumbered by labels, we laughed in the face of adversity and danced the night away! Nowadays, with all these [once] unimaginable rights and freedoms, there's a [let's say a more youthful] faction moaning, demanding [more] unimaginable rights and freedoms. Let them moan, let them demand...they may even get what they want. We [as in older] [eventually] did!

What's all this got to do with the film, I hear you ask? Well, The Shiny Shrimps answers that particular question...quelle suprise...amid all the campery, there are a few bold statements accompanied by many a shameless cliché...2 dads = one fabuously dressed kid...but, seriously, these 'shrimps' address that old bugbear, the generation issue...

We [as in older] paved the way...job done...let the new 'way' begin. Every generation needs its raison d'être...with its predecessor [reluctantly] knowing and [even more reluctantly] accepting the time to step back and rest...on those hard-fought for and well-deserved laurels.

Some queens don't give a political toss, some queens [who object to being called a queen] do! Get over it...my ying and your yang...that's how things get done!

Enough with the seriousness...The Shiny Shrimps is old-school camp...albeit tinged with modernity...however, the same old issues persist...with the fight against homophobia being every generation's raison d'être! An inter-generational common issue/cause/call it what you will! Stronger together!

In 1994, Priscilla, Queen of the Desert made herself known, a whole generation away [it seems like yesterday]...it would seem that not much has changed...yet, much has changed. These 'shrimps' are this generation's Priscilla...and, just like Priscilla, these 'shrimps' will make you laugh until it hurts and weep...until it hurts. Then...laugh again.

Want to know how good these 'shrimps' are? It will come as no surprise when they announce an English [language] version! Hopefully, when that film comes, it will keep the heart and soul of the original, remembering its raison d'être.


Trailer...

The(ir) Blurb...

Matthias Le Goff, an Olympic champion at the end of his career, makes a homophobic statement on TV. His punishment: coach the Shiny Shrimps, a flamboyant and amateur gay water-polo team. They have only one thing in mind: to qualify for the Gay Games in Croatia where the hottest international LGBT athletes compete. It's the start of a bumpy and joyful ride - Faster, Higher, Stronger.

Cast & Characters

Nicolas Gob as Matthias Le Goff
Alban Lenoir as Jean
Geoffrey Couët as Xavier
Michaël Abiteboul as Cédric
Jonathan Louis as Gogo dancer
David Baïot as Alex
Romain Lancry as Damien
Roland Menou as Joël
Thomas Croisière as Pascal
Felix Martinez as Vincent
Romain Brau as Fred
Pierre Samuel as Bertrand
Maïa Quesemand as Victoire