Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle (2001)

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

An old-fashioned movie made with new-fashioned finesse.

Ghislain Lambert's Bicycle is not a simple film about cycling.It is a film about one of the life's little heroes who does not give up.Although there are numerous references to lives of cyclists and races,there is no documentary footage in the film.Director Philippe Harel has presented his film as a work of fiction with numerous intelligent episodes involving Ghislain,his brother,his friends and his wife.If the current generation is aware of cycling and its exploits then it might be due to the popularity of American cyclist Lance Armstrong.He brought so much glory to the sport.However,it was a different story in seventies.It was a time when Belgian cyclist Eddy Merckx was the true king of cycling.This was also the time when our eponymous hero Ghislain Lambert started to pedal.However,he was not able to achieve fame and glory as achieved by Eddy.This did not deter him to marry the girl of his choice and have children.Lastly, if a viewer is looking for a nice film about sports,one need not travel far as 'Le vélo de Ghislain Lambert' is a perfect choice which fluctuates between comedy and drama.

I really like Benoit as he has got the same talent to make me laugh and the same big heart as the ancestor, Louis De Funes. It's rather funny to see that the beginning of this movie has nearly a remake of Louis' famous scene and beyond, the whole movie is like a homage as it's the more meticulous duplication of the 70s (« the gold age for Louis ») that I have seen for a long time. This movie was surely my first with Benoit and I discovered him in a strange way as i came back from a trainee-ship in Luxembourg in which i get in touch with the great Benelux : for a French like me, it was relaxing to be in such countries as it was speaking my tongue but everything, everyone was different : less anguished, less disdainful, more warmly, more open. And Benoit (as Cécile De France) has this little more bit of humanity than my fellows lacks. Thus, his (her) movies are always interesting for me but sometimes, they just reach the opposite frontier as they have poor french partners or does the french trend (wealthy family living in Paris !).Here, except Garcia who as usual makes boring and useless fuss for everything, this is not the case and that's why it's a great movie : it's about ordinary people, living in small cities and having big dreams for their life. Cycling is surely not the best glamorous sport but it's the one fit for nostalgia (my grandparents and parents love to lose their summer afternoon watching the big circle). What's very original here is how the film balances smoothly between comedy and drama as Benoit is the perfect loser and that's why we love him so much !

The intricacies behind bicycle races, a sport that is so popular in Europe, is the subject of this Belgian entry. The film explores the behind the scenes incidents and what really goes on in the races, as Ghislain Lambert, an ambitious man, tries his luck at a competition he loves, but one which was not good for him, as his hope for fabulous victories, always eluded him.The best excuse for watching the film is Benoit Poelvoorde, a Belgian actor that has been seen in comic parts frequently. This is a stretch for this actor, and he proves he is also a performer that attracts the attention of his fans. The film was directed by Philippe Harel, based on the screenplay written by the director, Mr. Poelvoorde and Olivier Dazat.Basically, this is a feel good movie, even though the man at the center of the story is an antihero. Our hopes are with Ghislain, even though we feel he is not up to some of the runners which he competes against. Even though we realize what Lambert is undergoing, we root for him to come home a champion. But in a way, he was a winner.

Once again, Benoît Poelvoorde proves to us that he is a great actor. He plays Ghislain Lambert, a second class professional cyclist whose role in the team is to support the leader. Poelvoorde makes the jump from comedy to drama and is able to play with our emotions. The movie shows us, in a very realistic manner, the "backstage" of professional cycling, and at the same time maintains its sense of humor. Don't worry, even if you're not into this sport, this movie will never bore you....If you enjoy Poelvoorde as an actor, I also recommend watching "Les convoyeurs attendent". Poelvoorde is never as good as he is when he plays common people.