A French knight in medieval times (Jean Reno) accidentally killed his fiancee. He quickly goes to the nearest wizard (Malcolm McDowell) who conjures up a potion that will allow Reno to travel back in time with his trusty servant (Christian Clavier) to save himself from that dastardly deed. However, MacDowell made a dreadful mistake and accidentally sent them to the 21st century! Now Reno and the lowly Clavier are ignoramuses stuck in modern day Chicago (of all places.) This Americanized remake of the successful French comedy, Les Visiteurs (1993), is a fun time-traveling comedy for the entire family to enjoy. Jean Reno and Christian Clavier, the two stars of the original, who obviously have practiced their roles down to an art, make a delightful return. There are some flaws and the humor is a bit sophomoric, but Just Visiting is unlike most comedies that ever come our way in The States. In my opinion, this is the most refreshing new comedy I've seen since Meet the Parents (2000) came out last fall.
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Starring:
Jean Reno, Christina Applegare, Christian Clavier, Matthew Ross, Tara Reid, Malcolm McDowell, Bridgette Wilson, John Aylward, George Plimpton
Directed by:
Jean-Marie Poire
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2001 fantasy/comedy
Rated PG-13.
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Don Ignacio's score: B