Holy Cow

Holy Cow

8/11/2024 1h 32m 6.9/10

Overview

In the western part of the French Alps: After the drunk driving death of his father, 18-year-old Totone must look after his younger sister. He pursues a €30k Comté cheese award he has no hope of winning. Good thing Marie-Lise takes a liking for him!

Director

Louise Courvoisier

Top Billed Cast

Luna Garret

Luna Garret

Claire

Maïwène Barthélémy

Maïwène Barthélémy

Marie-Lise

Dimitri Baudry

Francis

Mathis Bernard

Jean-Yves Bretin

Armand Sancey Richard

Cyril

Clément Faveau

Clément Faveau

Totone

Reviews

CinemaSerf

CinemaSerf

5/1/2025

7/10

I watched this for about half an hour before I twigged that “Totone” (Clément Faveau) was Prince Harry’s stunt double! I though the resemblance was uncanny. He is an eighteen year old who works in his dad’s fromagerie when he’s not out on the razz. His dad also likes a glass or two, is lousy at karaoke and not much better at driving, and it’s this toxic combination that leaves the young man having to look after his seven year old sister and grow up pretty swiftly. Knowing as much about cheese making as I do, he is forced to takes a job at a rival farm and that’s where he, and we, discover just his hard it is to make the stuff. Did you know they have to heat the milk to 50°-odd then scoop the stuff out of a vat in less than ten seconds in something that looks like a large brassière? Well he didn’t either, but together with his faithful friends “Jean-Yves” (Mattis Bernard) and “Francis” (Dimitri Baudry) sets about starting his own cottage industry. Thing is, he needs milk. He can’t pay for it, so he decides to purloin it from the neighbouring farm of the sexually curious “Marie-Lise” (Maïwene Barthelemy). It’s a sort of have his cheese and eat it sort of arrangement as he distracts her with nooky whilst his mates help themselves. Of course, this isn’t a sustainable state of affairs for just about anyone, and for the next ninety minutes Louise Courvoisier takes us on a quickly-paced story of human nature and nurture whilst using the rakish “Totone” as an entertaining tool to showcase irresponsibly and selfishness coupled with loyalty and determination. It’s been done on a budget, and some of the production is a bit ropey (especially the edits at times) but there’s a solid cast telling is an engaging story of a community that has it’s own rules of engagement that always requires them to say “holy cow” when astonished, amazed, annoyed - it’s their one size fits all phrase! The on-form Faveau and Barthelemy gel well together, and there is also quite a fun contribution from Luna Garret as the young sister and as feel-good comedies go, this is quite good fun.

Similar Movies

Lost in Translation

7.4

Lost in Translation

2003

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

7.4

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon

2000

Beverly Hills Cop

7.2

Beverly Hills Cop

1984

Beck 06 - The Monster

5.4

Beck 06 - The Monster

1998

Memoirs of a Geisha

7.6

Memoirs of a Geisha

2005

To Kill a Mockingbird

8.0

To Kill a Mockingbird

1962

Marie Antoinette

6.7

Marie Antoinette

2006

In Good Company

6.0

In Good Company

2004

An Unfinished Life

6.8

An Unfinished Life

2005

Sugar Glass Bottle

7.0

Sugar Glass Bottle

2025