Customs clearance (original title - Rien à déclarer) is a 2010 French comedy that captures the absurdity of its plot from the very beginning, leaving the audience laughing until their sides hurt. It's not just a movie about borders, it's a story about two neighbors who can't stand each other being forced to stick together because of Europe's orders.

What the movie is really about

The action takes place at the Franco-Belgian border in late 1992[citation:4][citation:6]. The main character is Belgian customs officer Ruben Vandervelde (Benoît Poelvoorde). He is pathologically anti-French. Not just dislikes, but obsessed with his francophobia[citation:1][citation:8]. He meticulously searches cars with French plates, creating kilometers-long traffic jams, and at night, he secretly moves border posts deeper into French territory to expand Belgium[citation:4].

His colleague on the other side of the border is the Frenchman Matthias Ducatel (Dany Boon). Unlike Ruben, he is calm and friendly. However, there is one problem: Matthias has been secretly dating Ruben's younger sister, Louise, for a year and plans to propose to her[citation:1][citation:8]. It's impossible to establish contact with the future son-in-law in such a situation — it's an impossible mission.

And then politics gets involved. In 1993, the countries of the European Union sign the Schengen Agreement, abolishing passport control at borders[citation:4][citation:6]. Fixed customs posts are abolished, and instead, mobile joint Franco-Belgian teams are created. Ruben and Matthias are forced to become partners and patrol the border in the same car[citation:1][citation:5]. They will have to drive around the border area, participating in questionable operations to catch smugglers and, at the same time, find out who is more nationalistic.

Who directed and who starred in the film

The film was directed by Dany Boon, a famous French comedian, and the author of the super-popular comedy "Bob's Your Uncle" (2008)[citation:3][citation:4]. He wrote the script together with his wife, Yaël Boon[citation:4]. This is their second joint project, and they took the same approach: they took an acute social conflict and turned it into a comedy of situations.

The main role of the Belgian francophobe Benoît Poelvoorde was played so vividly that the script was written specifically for him[citation:6][citation:10]. His character is a caricatured nationalist who turns every little thing into an opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of his nation. Dany Boon, in turn, played an adorable French simpleton who looks at his Belgian neighbor with a condescending smile[citation:9].

Fun fact: the filming took place at a real Franco-Belgian border post, and for the first time in the history of cinema, a press conference for the film was organized before the start of filming — the expectations of the audience were very high[citation:1]. The budget of the film was 22 million euros — twice as much as the previous film by Boon[citation:1].

What to expect from watching

The humor in the film is built on typical French self-irony and mocking of neighbors. Belgians in this comedy are depicted as backward provincials who worship their country and are suspicious of everything French[citation:3]. The French, on the other hand, are portrayed as perpetually dissatisfied and believing themselves to be better than everyone[citation:7]. The film is full of grotesque scenes: for example, Ruben seriously proves that Belgian waffles are not food, but a symbol of national pride.

Parallel to the comedic line, a romantic line develops. Matthias and Louise's relationship is kept a secret from Ruben, and when the truth comes out, the situation heats up to the extreme[citation:1][citation:9].

And, of course, the detective element: a gang of drug traffickers operates in the border zone, trying to transport a large shipment of goods. By chance, Ruben and Matthias get involved in an operation to catch them[citation:2][citation:6].

The main idea of the film

The leitmotif of the comedy is "the border within each person." Throughout the film, Ruben and Matthias gradually develop sympathy for each other, discovering that their prejudices were merely stereotypes imposed by society and family[citation:6][citation:7]. As one of the characters says, "the world for all people"[citation:6]. The irony is that Ruben, who teaches his son to hate the French, eventually violates this principle[citation:6].

Although the comedy is less popular than "Bob's Your Uncle," it turned out to be warm, heartwarming, and, most importantly, truly funny[citation:3][citation:9]. It's an excellent choice for an evening when you want to relax from serious dramas and just laugh out loud.
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