Customs Clearance (original title - Rien à déclarer) is a 2010 French comedy that captures the absurdity of the situation from the very beginning, making the audience laugh until their sides hurt. It's not just a film 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 Film Is Really About

The action takes place on the Franco-Belgian border at the end of 1992[citation:4][citation:6]. The main character is Belgian customs officer Ruben Vanderwood (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, causing 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 Frenchman Matthias Ducatel (Danny Boon). Unlike Ruben, he is calm and friendly. The only problem is that Matthias has been secretly dating Ruben's younger sister, Louise, for a year and plans to propose to her[citation:1][citation:8]. In this situation, it's impossible to establish contact with the future son-in-law without a mission impossible.

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 have to drive around the border area, participating in questionable operations to catch smugglers and at the same time finding out who is more nationalist.

Who Directed and Who Acted

The film was directed by Danny Boon, a famous French comedian, the author of the super-popular comedy "Bob's Your Uncle" (2008)[citation:3][citation:4]. He wrote the script together with his wife, Yael Boon[citation:4]. This is their second joint project, and they followed the same path: 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 cartoonish nationalist who turns every little thing into an opportunity to demonstrate the superiority of his nation. Danny Boon, in turn, played an adorable French simpleton who looks at the Belgian neighbor with a condescending smile[citation:9].

Interesting fact: the shooting took place at a real Franco-Belgian border post, and for the first time in the history of cinematography, a press conference for the film was organized before the start of shooting - the expectations of the public were so great[citation:1]. The budget of the film was 22 million euros - twice as much as Boon's previous film[citation:1].

What to Expect from Watching

The humor in the film is built on typical French self-irony and satire of neighbors. Belgians in this comedy are portrayed as backward provincials who worship their country and suspect everything French[citation:3]. The French are depicted as eternally dissatisfied and believing they are 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 one 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 smugglers is operating 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 "a border within each person." Throughout the film, Ruben and Matthias gradually warm up to each other, discovering that their prejudices were just 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, ultimately violates this principle[citation:6].

Although the comedy is less popular than "Bob's Your Uncle," it turned out to be warm, touching, 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.

Permanent link to this publication: