“All for One”: a feminist and delusional parody of “The Three Musketeers”

We didn't expect Houda Benyamina here. In August 2016, the French director released “Divines”, which featured young girls in a Parisian city against a backdrop of drug trafficking. She had her eye on Scorsese and De Palma and won the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and three Césars, including best first film.

Eight years later, the filmmaker returns with “All for One”. Behind this motto and a kitschy red and gold poster hides a parody of “The Three Musketeers”, somewhere between a comedy and a western. Somewhere between Monty Python, Tarantino and the Pippi Gang.

“All for One” features three duly mustachioed and bearded musketeers. Three women, in fact, who disguise themselves to be able to fight, at the risk of being hanged if they are unmasked. Aramitz, Athos and Portau search for the Queen of France, who has fled to Spain. They must find her before the fifty mercenaries sent after her to kill her, but they do not know which path to take. On their way, they come across Sara, a prisoner who promises to help them if they free her…

Homeric sword fights, country, hip-hop or pop music at full blast, firefighter-style production… Houda Benyamina is no fool, and that's what gives the flavor to this film, which resembles a sketch of an hour 36. Basically, we are often in big potashery. The codes of virility are expensive. When the musketeers have Sara try on a fake fabric penis, they say to her: “Do you smell it? With a dick, you're less afraid! », before playing at shaking their genitals. Later, the trio teaches the art of peeing standing up: “Force yourself to direct your jet,” they indicate, laughing.

In the role of the musketeers and D'Artagnan, the actresses are all tremendously daring and humorous, from Sabrina Ouazani to Daphné Patakia, including Oulaya Amamra and Déborah Lukumuena (both already in the casting of “Divines”) .

The pace weakens along the way and the adventures with the queen have no interest – apart from a rather funny coitus sequence with the king. But some scenes are worth the detour. Like this moment in a carriage where the immense Portau consoles a marquis terrified by his appearance. “Armand, I feel that inside you, everything is fragile,” she explains to the unfortunate man, who has become liquid. You have the right to cry! »And to conclude, compassionately: “It’s hard to be a man. »