La Maison du Bonheur (The House of Happiness) is a 2006 French comedy film directed by Dany Boon, adapted from the play La Vie de chantier (Life on a building site).
Contents
Plot
Charles Boulin is a debt collector for a credit company called Crédilem.
After his wife Anne accuses him of being tight-fisted, he decides to surprise her by buying a house in the country... but before he manages to do so the house is snatched up by one of his colleagues. In his disappointment he steals his colleague's bag which contains the signed deeds. As he has already been given several warnings at work, he is sacked on the spot.
To reduce renovation costs, Charles Boulin seeks the help of Jean-Pierre Draquart, the shifty estate agent who sold him the second house in his catalogue. This swindler calls up his "best team": Mouloud Mami and Donatello Pirelli - who as workers are both perfectly incompetent. As the renovation progresses, the house gradually turns into ruins.
Charles soon finds himself in debt after being refused a bank loan and then has to sell the family apartment without letting his wife or daughter find out. He survives on odd jobs, whilst scheming in order to convince his family to move into the "new" house...
Cast
Dany Boon as Charles Boulin
Michèle Laroque as Anne Boulin
Daniel Prévost as Jean-Pierre Draquart
Zinedine Soualem as Mouloud Mami
Laurent Gamelon as Donatello Pirelli
Line Renaud as Aunt Suzanne Bailleul
Michel Vuillermoz as Jacques Kurtz
Ariane Séguillon as Nicole Kurtz
Gaëlle Bona as Élisabeth
Antoine Chappey as Alexis Boulin
Laure Sirieix as Norah Boulin
Frédéric Bouraly as The doctor
Jacqueline Jehanneuf as The house owner
Jean Dell as The notary
Didier Flamand as Banker
Discography
The CD soundtrack, including the scores of Nothing to Declare and Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, all composed by Philippe Rombi.