22 Years Ago, Alain Chabat’s Comedy Flopped—Now It’s a Cult Classic!

Now regarded by many fans as a cult classic, “RRRrrrrr!!!” did not initially receive the warm reception it hoped for upon its theatrical release. Over two decades later, Alain Chabat discussed the potential reasons behind the film’s particularly challenging debut.

When it hit theaters in January 2004, “RRRrrrrr!!!” managed to draw nearly 1.7 million spectators—a figure not disastrous for a French comedy. However, the film quickly suffered from a perception of failure, largely due to harsh critiques from both the press and a segment of the audience.

Despite featuring a popular cast from the Robin des Bois troupe—Pierre-François Martin-Laval (PEF), Marina Foïs, Jean-Paul Rouve, Élise Larnicol, Maurice Barthélémy, and Pascal Vincent—alongside Gérard Depardieu and Alain Chabat, the reviews remained stern, with an average rating of 2.6 out of 5 from critics and 2.4 out of 5 from viewers.

Alain Chabat and His Unique Sense of Humor

In an interview last year with Brut, Alain Chabat, who has since worked on an animated Asterix series for Netflix, shared his reflections on this noteworthy chapter of his career.

He suggested that perhaps some of the film’s jokes were more in line with his personal sense of humor than that of the broader audience.

“I watched a bit of RRRrrrrr!!! not long ago. There are things in there that make me burst out laughing, and I notice I’m the only one laughing in the room. (…) Clearly, it’s just me.”

The director specifically mentioned one scene that still amuses him today: “There’s a conversation between the chief – Maurice Barthélémy, PEF, Marina, and Elise Larnicol who plays the chief’s wife. (…) It’s a wide shot, and at one point the chief throws a stick and his wife fetches it like a dog. The timing of that kills me because everyone is dead serious, so yeah, that really makes me laugh, and I saw that… I was watching it with several people and I was the only one laughing at that bit.”

A Disappointment That Left Its Mark

For several team members, the negative reactions were particularly hard to swallow. Pierre-François Martin-Laval remembers it as a painful period, after years dedicated to the project.

“Everyone was saying [it was terrible]. It was a huge blow. Because we put so much passion, laughter, and work into it… We wrote the script for over two years, including 10 or 12 months with Alain Chabat. We were very sad. It kind of broke us, too. I’m not even sure it didn’t contribute to our breakup. And for me, I don’t mean to say more than the others, but I found myself out of work. It was a bit of a rough patch for almost two years…”

The actor even believes that this setback may have contributed to the gradual dissolution of the Robin des Bois as a troupe.

A Film That Became Cult Over Time

Jean-Paul Rouve also acknowledges the painful reception at the time. However, he admits he was somewhat shielded by the simultaneous success of another project.

“Alain [Chabat] took it hard. Yes, we all did, and I a bit less because I was lucky, at the same time that was coming out, I had Podium which was a big success. You’re caught up in this mix, so you suffer less than your friends. I know PEF really struggled. It’s the life of cinema. And us, we found our film funny, and it became cult.”

Over the years, “RRRrrrrr!!!” has indeed gained new recognition among the public. Although its launch was troubled, Alain Chabat’s prehistoric comedy is now frequently rediscovered and cited as one of the most unique French comedy films of the 2000s.

To watch the comedy today, head over to Paramount+.

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