The Valet

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The Valet
(La Doublure)
Directed by Francis Veber
Produced by Patrice Ledoux
Written by Francis Veber
Starring Gad Elmaleh
Daniel Auteuil
Alice Taglioni
Kristin Scott Thomas
Music by Alexander Desplat
Cinematography Robert Fraisse
Editing by Georges Klotz
Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics (U.S.)
Release date(s) April 20, 2007 (U.S.)
Running time 85 min
Country France/Italy/Belgium
Language French
English subtitles
IMDb profile
This article is about a French film. For the English language term for a male servant, see Valet.

The Valet (French: La Doublure) is a French motion picture comedy staring Gad Elmaleh, Daniel Auteuil, Richard Berry and Alice Taglioni .

[edit] Synopsis

Pierre Levasseur (Daniel Auteuil) is a billionaire chief executive who is having an affair with a top model, Elena Simonsen (Alice Taglioni). After a paparazzi photographer captures the two of them together, his wife (Kristen Scott Thomas) challenges him. He claims that he has no idea who the woman is, and that she must be with the man seen walking nearby (Gad Elmaleh). Pierre's situation goes from bad to worse. Fully aware of the difficult situation Pierre is in, Elena gives Pierre an ultimatum: me or your wife. Pierre is in a difficult spot, since his wife is the majority shareholder of his business. Pierre's lawyer Maître Foix (Richard Berry) advises that the only way to resolve the issue is to make Pierre's lie the truth by finding the anonymous man and having the model live with him.

The anonymous man is hapless François Pignon, a depressed valet who is in love with pretty Émilie (Virginie Ledoyen), a bookstore owner. Émilie has turned down his offer of marriage, telling him that he is like her little brother – she is deep in debt and worried about her business. The last thing she needs is a sweet, broke guy. Pierre's lawyer finds François and offers him money to let the model, Elena, move in with him and to pretend that they are a couple. François asks for the exact amount of money that will pay off all of Émilie's debts. Elena requires 20 million euro to carry on the sham relationship, but will return it if Pierre will leave his wife. She moves in with clumsy, shy François, who is overwhelmed with the idea of being a supermodel's boyfriend, but the two of them become friends.

Meanwhile, Pierre's wife is not at all fooled and plays the situation for all it is worth, making her husband jealous of François and Elena's living situation. Émilie, too, is confused and upset to see François and Elena together. Eventually, Elena explains the situation to Émilie, who is grateful for the funding and acquires a newfound respect for François. Pierre's wife records Pierre saying that he will not leave her for Elena and will, instead, take her on a second honeymoon. She sends this tape to Elena, who takes the 20 million euro and leaves Pierre, and Émilie now accepts François' proposal.

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