Reviled by many critics, loved by a solid minority, I ended up in between, but leaning more towards the positive. This is odd absurdist fun (described by one critic as 'Waiting for Godot' meets the New York Post). But the key word is fun. It doesn't feel "good for you", or like a stern lecture on the moral emptiness of modern life. Blier is too goofy for that. So, yes, he comments on how violence has taken over our urban world, how isolated we all are, etc. But he makes you laugh in the process, with sometimes almost 'Three Stooges' like levels of silliness. 'Little Murders' comes to mind, but I enjoyed this more. Yes, it gets repetitive at moments, but the acting (Gerard Depardieu, Bernard Blier, Jean Carmet) is very good, the look (which echoes – I think intentionally – the cold, sharp modern world of 'Clockwork Orange') is terrific, and for every scene that doesn't work, there are a couple that do. Is this great, important film-making? Probably not. But I'd sure as hell rather watch this sort of playful, hyper black comedy of ideas than most of what comes out of Hollywood these days.

Some viewers think this dark comedy is "boring" and "disappointing". Granted, this movie is not for everybody. But to say that nobody would like it is purely idiotic. Nobody has the same humor, and you cannot generalize when it comes to such variable parameters. To me, Buffet Froid is the quintessential black comedy, and it made me laugh from start to ending, despite its slow tempo and absurd-like tone. If I had to compare it with American dark comedies, I would say Fargo comes pretty close. I would also suggest the following movies for those who enjoyed Buffet Froid: Barton Fink, Happiness, Delicatessen, Dr Strangelove, Carne, Cible Emouvante and Man Bites Dog.

This is a superbly surreal black comedy from Bertrand Blier. It won a Cesar award for the screenplay. Gerard Depardieu plays an unemployed guy named Alphonse Tram, who may or may not have killed a stranger in the subway. He lives with his wife in a strange and stylish, almost empty high-rise apartment block. That is until she is killed by a misogynist murderer who is afraid of the dark. He knocks on Alphonse's door and announces this to him after her death; Alphonse then immediately makes him a meal and chats amiably with him.The other main character is an odd police chief inspector (played by the director's father). Alphonse tells him he could have knifed a man in the subway, and later introduces him to his wife's murderer. The inspector completely overlooks all this of course. The inspector tells the other two men it's better to keep the murderers on the streets, that way they don't contaminate the innocent in prison. Another scene has the three men comforting the wife of a man they have just killed (on his instructions). She is then extremely ill in bed, and the trio call for a doctor. He arrives, and then makes love to the stricken lady while the men watch. Afterwards he gives the diagnosis, "It's just a minor viral infection." The misogynist murderer is later seen searching for a woman alone to kill. A man tells him there's a mature lady who lives next door to him. "How do you know she's mature?", "Because she makes Jam.", he offers. The police inspector later asks for around thirty officers to accompany him to a house to arrest a violinist, just because he is allergic to them. It is all very funny, surreal and refreshing. If you like the later films of Buñuel, you'll like Buffet Froid.

Be Warned ! The nature of your oppression is the aesthetic of our anger. To me, this is be the running title of Buffet froid.