A mini-series in six episodes to be seen since January 6 on RTS1, “Made in France” features Cécile Bois, Thierry Neuvic and Antonia Desplat in a love triangle with unexpected consequences. The series is available in full from January 20 to February 3 on Play RTS.
Scorned and exploited by her mechanic husband Olivier (Thierry Neuvic), Rita (Cécile Bois) falls from a height after thirty years of loyalty to this man, at work and in life. One day, the fifty-year-old discovers that this cad has slashed their marriage contract by frolicking in the arms of a customer at Porsche, Olympe (Antonia Desplat), in her thirties, strong character and senior executive at Valières, a emblematic Parisian leather goods house.
Not completely devastated, Rita clings to her personal vengeance and exiles the culprit out of the marital bed, onto the sofa. Dignified, but hurt, too curious especially to confront the one who stole her man, Rita, due to a misunderstanding, plays with Olympe who hires her at Valières as an assistant. And what does it matter if Rita, the pro, is a stain in this refined world, of which she has no mastery of any codes.
>> Watch the first episode of the “Made in France” series:
An eminently feminist love triangle
Shock of cultures and classes, but above all shock for the businesswoman when Rita confesses her true motivations. The series, which could hum around Rita’s secret and misunderstandings during the six episodes, fortunately takes an unexpected turn when the pot aux roses, very quickly revealed, gives way to a careful observation of this strange, eminently feminist love triangle.
While Rita emancipates herself by achieving financial independence to the great displeasure of her husband, Olympe, a free woman who sacrificed her personal life for the benefit of her success, prevails against her detractor: the son Valières. Despite her experience and her fame, she must constantly prove herself, but with her new ally Rita, extremely gifted at untangling inextricable situations, she resolves the most complex problems. As for the fickle husband, he clearly comes across as the cad on duty, his heart tossed between these two women who lead him by the nose, not to mention another part of his anatomy…
-Entertainment about the mid-life crisis
If Cécile Bois (“Candice Renoir”) remains the strong argument of “Made in France”, playing a sensitive, unfiltered and very funny character, her playing partners Thierry Neuvic and especially Antonia Desplat are not left out. She has already shown her talents with Wes Anderson (“The French Dispatch”) who she will find this year in “The Phoenician Scheme” alongside Charlotte Gainsbourg, Scarlett Johansson and Tom Hanks. In the meantime, she shines in this French series where, in addition to the torments of the heart, a certain idea of a more moral, more vegan luxury craftsmanship is clearly defended when it comes to abandoning animal leather. .
If “Made in France” has many merits in substance, it is better not to be too careful about the form. This industrial product which stings the eyes with its uglyness – but at the service of such magnificent luxury leather goods – must be appreciated for what it is: a simple entertainment about the mid-life crisis with a touch of feminism.
Philippe Congiusti/ld
“Made in France” by Mathilde Vallet, with Cécile Bois, Thierry Neuvic and Antonia Desplat. Mini-series in six episodes available in full from January 20 to February 3, 2025 on Play RTS.
