There is hardly a person who does not like films with Jean Renault. After all, all the tapes with his participation form the basis of both the detective and the comedic genre of modern and beautiful French cinema. The roles of Jean Reno are a wonderful transformation of an actor into humorous, serious and even romantic heroes. “Cinema of Europe” is a directing encyclopedia that highlights 11 films with the participation of an actor, which have become iconic and most popular for him. However, more on that later, and now let's find out where he was born, how he grew up, where Jean Reno studied. His biography will tell that not everything is and is not always given in life very easily.
Childhood and youth
Jean Reno, whose real name is Juan Moreno, was born on July 30, 1948 in Casablanca. His parents were from Andalusia, his mother worked as a dressmaker, and his father worked in a printing house. When the boy was 12 years old, the family moved to France. When the guy was 17 years old, his mother died. It was very difficult for him to live in this country without citizenship, and therefore Jean went voluntarily for two years into the French army. At this time, he realized that acting was his horse, and the profession of an actor was ideal for expressing his essence. After the army, the guy began to attend a theater school in Paris, which at one time graduated from such people as Didier Flaman, Claude Brasser and others, and was sure that this activity would ensure his future. Meanwhile, in order to replenish the family budget, he had to work as a driver, customs officer, accountant. And when our hero finally realized that he could not live without a theater, a pseudonym appeared - Jean Reno. His biography, as we see, began to take shape not in the best way, he had a very tight time, but later Jean will be rewarded for his suffering and loyalty to the dream.
Fateful meeting
The theater became the meaning of life for Jean, so he went to the studio of Rene Simon, where he took acting lessons. In 1974, he began to take part in television shows, performed on the stage of the Ecco Homo Theater. The television series "One Secret a Day" was the first breakdown of the actor in the movie. In feature films, Jean first appeared in 1979, playing in the film "The Hypothesis of a Stolen Painting." Over the next few years, he played in low-budget films, which did not suit our hero at all. This continued until the meeting with Luke Besson, who since 1983 began to shoot Renault in almost every tape. And their fruitful cooperation began back in 1981, when Jean played in Besson’s film “The Last but One”, where he perfectly got used to the role and showed himself in the best light. Then, in 1983, the movie “The Last Battle” was released, after which Luke and Jean became not only colleagues, but also great friends. The filmography of Jean Renault began to grow by leaps and bounds. He starred in such films as “A Purely Personal Affair” (1985), “I Love You” (1986), “The Red Zone” (1986), etc. And soon Besson offers him the main role in the film “The Blue Abyss”, which refers to the number of those 11 paintings, which were mentioned above.
First iconic role
Jean Renault, whose filmography includes many paintings, played in the film "The Blue Abyss" in 1988.
Luke Besson did his best, creating his first English-language masterpiece, and Renault received the long-awaited recognition. In this film, our hero played the Italian Enzo Molinari, who grew up on a Greek island and was friends with the guy Jacques (Jean-Marc Barr). Jacques father was a diver and once died during the collection of oysters. And this happened due to broken equipment. Many years pass, the guys grew up and left the island. The initiator of the meeting after 20 years was Enzo. As it turned out, both friends were engaged in diving into the depths without air and took part in world championships. At the time of the meeting, Enzo already had a lot of titles, and plus this was also a zeal for the achievements of Jacques, who did not pay any attention to it. Later, Joan, an employee of an insurance agency, falls in love with Jacques and follows him to Sicily, where she personally witnesses a dangerous fight between friends. Each of them tried to surpass the other, they sank deeper. They were warned that it was dangerous, but the blue abyss is the meaning of life. Trying to break the record, Enzo dies, Joan tells Jacques about his pregnancy, but this does not stop him from another dangerous dive ...
Films with the participation of Jean Renault quite often end tragically, which makes viewers cry at the screens. This picture claimed the Cesar Award, but received only awards for the best soundtrack and sound. I must say, Jean Reno, whose filmography from that moment began to replenish, mainly, iconic roles, played here just fine.
"Operation" Stew ""
1991 was marked by the release of this magnificent film, which is also considered the best of those where our hero participated. Jean-Marie Poiret invited Renault to this film for the role of Philippe Bouillet - the fearless captain of French intelligence. Making every effort, he is trying to prevent the supply of weapons for one important person from France. To perform this operation, a listening tool is inserted into the ring of the secretary who works at the consul. Everything went according to plan until this same secretary was about to leave on vacation. This meant the collapse of the entire operation. In order to find out what the heroes came up with to break the vacation, it is worth looking at this picture, where Jean Renault plays unsurpassed. His filmography is worthy of the highest praise.
"Aliens"
This comedy will appeal not only to adults, but also to children. She was rightly attributed to the classics of French cinema of the 90s, and for our hero this role became a path almost to the very peak of fame. In this film, Renault plays a serious, but at the same time funny Count Godfroix, who wanted to get into the past and correct his mistakes there. However, the sorcerer who helped him in this was mistaken somewhere, and the count fell into the distant future, where he met his descendants. Jean Renault, whose height is approximately 190 cm, looked very impressive in the film next to his little servant Jacques (Christian Clavier). They were tangled together in the corridors of time. In the meantime, they tried to return back, fell into all sorts of comic situations. This comedy can be safely included in the list of "Best Movies with Jean Renault."
"Leon"
This touching picture of Luke Besson won the hearts of millions of viewers, the film was a crazy success, and many people today review it with pleasure. Many films with the participation of Jean Reno cause both tears, and a smile, and admiration. This picture is no exception. Besson wrote the script for this film in 30 days, and shot in 90! This is a vivid example of the fact that even with a relatively small budget, you can create a masterpiece, the main thing is to choose good actors who will convey all the feelings and emotions of their characters. That's exactly what Jean Renault always does. Films with his participation fall into the soul, and they can not be forgotten. In this picture, the main character - Leon - is a killer, but a meeting with a cute girl Matilda (played by Natalie Portman) makes a serious and sometimes cruel man change right before our eyes. He used to hide his feelings, not give in to emotions, had no right to weaknesses. However, the friendly affection that arose between him and the girl revealed Leon’s best qualities, he began to worry, worry about someone, that is, he learned to be a man. The tragic end of the film proves that miracles do not happen, and everyone gets what they deserve. It is impossible to watch the final without tears, and you will want to review the picture more than once, therefore, without any doubt, it belongs to the list of “Best Movies with Jean Renault”.
"Jaguar"
This picture was shot by Francis Weber in 1996. The plot of the picture is a chance meeting of three people in the elevator of a luxury hotel. They were an Indian, his translator and loafer Francois Perrin. The latter (Jean Reno) was searched by bandits, and the other two also had to hide for their own reasons. The company went on the run into the Amazonian forests, and there the most incredible events took place with them. You can’t describe everything, it’s better to look at the picture at least once and enjoy the magnificent play of the actors.
"Red rivers"
Mathieu Kassowitz invited Renault in 2000 to this tape for the role of police commissioner, who will have to figure out who killed the girl at a prestigious college in the Alps, and together with another policeman he will look for the man whose hand was raised to desecrate the grave of a child. It turns out that there is a connection between the two crimes, although they are committed in different places. As a result, men discover the truth - terrible and vile, and most importantly - mortally dangerous for both. The game of the charismatic Renault here, as always, is beyond praise.
Wasabi
Gerard Kravchik perfectly selected the actors and in 2001 presented the world with this amazing comedy about police Hubert, played by Renault, who went to Japan from France, where his old friend and daughter lived at that time. By the way, he did not know anything about the latter before the events that unfolded in the film began. His first and only love of his life died, leaving a child and ... a lot of money. As it turned out, the inheritance was needed not only by relatives, but also by the Yakudze. And those paths that Hubert took with a friend will make you laugh, despite the seriousness of the situations and plot.
"Love story"
This picture of Daniel Thompson was released in 2002. Felix (Jean Reno) and Rosa met once at the airport when a strike took place in Paris and all flights were canceled. By chance, they were in the hotel in one room, waiting for flights. Completely different people felt awkward together, but only at first ... In this picture, Jean Renault turns into a real romance.
Unlucky
The comedy, released in 2003, still makes you laugh. In prison, Quentin and Ruby got into the same cell. Both really wanted to get out of the prison by any means, but for one purpose for two - to find the money that Ruby once stole from the mafia and hid it. Not only are they constantly unlucky, the still good-natured and cheerful Quentin throughout the film annoys a dull and serious companion. Here again the tragic end, again the tears, and the game of our hero, which showed not only negative character traits, is beyond praise.
Corsican
In 2004, Alain Berberyan made an amazing film about a smoothie and a private detective in one person - Jack Palmer. He was given the task of finding a notary public in Corsica, an escaped client. By the way, specifically for this role, Jean Renault learned to speak with a Corsican accent. Once at the destination, he realizes that the easy task turns into the most spy mission.
"Chef"
Jean Renault, whose filmography is considered in this article, in 2012 starred in the role of a talented, but unsuccessful cook, who was soon destined to become a dad. Once he gets rid of his natural shyness and is hired by the famous chef - Lagarde Alexander. The latter is not particularly pleased with his assistant, but this is only the first ...
We examined with you those 11 iconic roles that Jean Renault had to play. However, this does not mean that all other paintings are not worthy of attention. All of them are interesting and delightful, if only because the extraordinary and talented Jean Renault starred in them.