This is a black comedy which takes itself very seriously. There’s a pervasive sense of bankruptcy and malaise as [the main character] rebounds from one rejection to the next. Every couple is breaking up, racism is rife, politicians are hypocrites. The shrill opening is probably intentionally aggravating, but it ebbs into affecting, melancholy moments of transcendence and a more gently droll, if still spiky, sentimental education (…) Serreau would do better to refrain from sermonising [but] this is urgent, scalding satire, with a terrific performance from Lindon. — TimeOut