Ténor <img src="https://img.icons8.com/ios-glyphs/20/000000/star--v1.png"/><img src="https://img.icons8.com/ios-glyphs/20/000000/star--v1.png"/><img src="https://img.icons8.com/ios-glyphs/20/000000/star--v1.png"/>

Ténor

Ténor is a rudimentary 'fish out of water', 'clash of cultures' drama, with French rap and opera representing the opposing lifestyles. I guess its claim to fame is the fact that the lead is Mohammed Belkhir (a.k.a. MB14), a rapper who appeared on the French version of irritating 'talent' show, The Voice. This is his first film but he looks like he's been doing this for yonks, and if it's really him singing, he certainly got some pipes on him. His co-star is the classy Michèle Laroque - she plays Madame Loyseau, the opera tutor who discovers Antione (MB14).

There's nothing ground-breaking here but Claude Zidi Jr. is only on his third film and he doesn't do too much wrong in the handling of it. The story creaks a bit, especially when Antoine is off-screen, and some of the characters are a bit cliched, in the shape of the tough and thick, yet loving brother, Didier (Guillaume Duhesme) and comic mate sidekick, Elio (Samir Decazza). Antoine is spoilt for choice regarding romance, with soprano toff, Joséphine (Marie Oppert) never really standing a chance against salt of the earth banlieue buddy, Samia (an impressive Maëva El Aroussi).

The film is at its best when it contrasts the boxing gym rap battles with the high culture of the French Opera. The exterior of the Académie Nationale de Musique is sensational but the interiors are another level. Filthy, dripping opulence that impresses and disgusts at the same time.

The climax is chemically engineered to tweak a tear from the eye and, probably thanks to the choice of Nessun Dorma, a nostalgic reminder of the 1990 World Cup in Italy, it just about scores its goal (I'll leave you to judge whether that 'just about' is used in the British or Australian sense).

Ténor is showing as part of the Alliance Francaise French Film Festival at Palace and Luna Cinemas.

See also:

Filmic ghettoisation of the Parisian burbs may have started with Mathieu Kassovitz's excellent La Haine (1995), and Jacques Audiard's Paris, 13th District (2021) is another fine example of the sub-genre.

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