Butcherbs

After some very average attempts, Netflix finally offers a good series led drum beating by a Jonathan Cohen in great shape.

By Perrine Quennesson

Reading time 3 min.

Family Business

Trailer

Marseille, Osmosis, The Hook Up Plan… Until now, we can’t say that’s what the French series on Netflix were all about. So when comes a new series to the neat cast, with a funny story and rather well-written, obviously we get a little carried away. On Family Business, we follow Joseph, in his early thirties, son of a kosher butcher who is burning with desire to undertake. But his ideas have so far not quite lived up to the enthusiasm displayed. When he understand that cannabis will soon be legalized in France, Joseph proposes to his family a new business, a family business project : transform the dying kosher butcher shop into a coffee shop… As he says, “beucherie”. In French, it’s the mixte between « beuh » (herbs) and  « boucherie » (butcher) – like a « butcherbs ». That’s a good idea. Money, and a lot of shit.

Initially, there is a fear of watching a “Would I Lie to You ? »  about weed : smoke jokes, “brother” punctuated sentences and the sometimes somewhat anemic script… Predictable jokes can be annoying, but Igor Gotesman, the director-writer creates endearing characters and has been able to attribute them to good actors. He was already owed Five (2016) and a collaboration on the screenplay of Hugo Gélin’s fabulous Mon inconnue.

Endearing characters
attributed to good actors

Jonathan Cohen (Serge le Mytho) plays text and jokes without giving a respite to a spectator who asks for more. At his side, Gérard Darmon shines in a grinch who is looking for a reason to live. Julie Piaton and Liliane Rovère come to complete this small family, one with a fire under the palpable ice and the other with her derision in great form. Note the appearance of Enrico Macias who displays a surprising and tasty sense of self-derision.

Of course, we think of Weeds, but Family Business is largely emancipated from its big American brother by following a path that is its own, not without pitfalls and potholes. With a certain charm but without THC, therefore completely legal.

  • Gérard Darmon
  • Jonathan Cohen
  • Netflix

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