When "La Boum" came out in 1980, the young actress Alexandra Gonin didn't know that this film would be both the star and the end of her film career. Auditioning for the role of Vic (ultimately losing it to Sophie Marceau), she got to play the sweet and crafty Samantha Fontanet, the sister of Penélope, Vic's best friend. Knowing the dangers of typecasting, she refused many a role that she was offered after this movie, but at the end accepted the one of the young heroine of "Les parents ne sont pas simples cette année", resulting to a film that can be honestly described as a disappointment.
The plot seems promising for someone who loves "La Boum", but of course Marcel Jullian came, saw and destroyed this nice in theory story. In the movie, we follow a girl, Marie, who has no other passion in life but dancing. This element of the character was inspired by the real Gonin's life, since she was in the Opéra herself, hoping to make a career as a dancer. Then, a boy enters her - bland and uninteresting- life; Paul (Alexandre Sterling, of "La Boum" fame), the one whom she had loved in the past, and who wants to continue their "relationship" after many years (I see "L'été de nos quinze ans" overtones everywhere). So begins a teen romance that will end up in a ship owned by Paul's friends, where he and Marie will kiss passionately, with him exclaiming "My starfish!" (Mon étoile de mer) (!)
Having reviewed director Marcel Jullian's work before, I can only say that he really doesn't seem to have any idea of how to give instructions to actors in order for them to carry out his "vision". Here, Gonin, Sterling, and Sheila O'Connor (Penélope in "La Boum") act their way out of simple scenes, with him apparently ignoring their disappointing performances.
As for the acting, this movie showed me why no "La Boum" actor (with the exception of Sophie Marceau) made a name for themselves in the cinema. They are all quite average, especially Alexandra Gonin, who tried here to create a Vic-like character with her interpretation, but instead delivered one who lacked passion, something which differentiated her from Sophie Marceau, despite both playing sensitive teenage girls.
The music can be considered quite charming, as shown by the theme song "Le voyage en bateau", written by former yéyé idol Jean-Jacques Debout. Performed by Michelle Torr, the piece is pleasing to the ear, with the piano dominating in matters of instrumental accompaniment. Torr's voice is impressive, since she possesses a great range demonstrated more in other songs of hers, like "Une petite française", which represented Monaco in the Eurovision song contest of 1977.
All in all, "Les parents ne sont pas simples cette année" is not recommended. Uninteresting story, amateurish performances and nonexistent direction are the qualities of this now-forgotten film. It was maybe fate that prevented Alexandra Gonin from getting the role of Vic. "La Boum" would have been a completely different film, one deposed from the throne of cult following and relegated to the dustbin of film history. A destiny not deserving to it, but maybe indeed to "Les parents ne sont pas simples cette année".
