Welcome to the Sticks

Although living a comfortable life in Salon-de-Provence, a charming town in the South of France, Julie has been feeling depressed for a while. To please her, Philippe Abrams, a post office administrator, her husband, tries to obtain a transfer to a seaside town, on the French Riviera, at any cost. The trouble is that he is caught red-handed while trying to scam an inspector. Philippe is immediately banished to the distant unheard of town of Bergues, in the Far North of France...

Critics generally found the film an entertaining and warmly accessible comedy whose regional humor and performances outweighed its broad stereotypes.

• Philippe expects Bergues to be a frightening wasteland populated by hostile outsiders, but his experience challenges those southern French stereotypes.
• The Ch'ti dialect initially sounds incomprehensible to Philippe and repeatedly shapes his misunderstandings and social integration.
• Philippe is banished from Salon-de-Provence to Bergues after attempting to manipulate a transfer, forcing him to adapt to northern life.
• The film gently mocks southern and northern French clichés while presenting Bergues residents and local customs with affection.

• The Full Montyshared fish out of water premise, regional stereotyping, warm ensemble comedy, and reconciliation across cultural misunderstandings
• Brassed Offshared workplace comedy, outsider friendships, class and regional prejudice, and an ultimately uplifting social perspective
• The Valetshared French ensemble humor, provincial settings, romantic complications, and affectionate treatment of eccentric local communities

Director

Dany Boon

Release Date

2008-02-20

Runtime

106 min

Rating

6.7 / 10 (2631)

What is Welcome to the Sticks about?

A disgraced southern postmaster discovers that relocation to France’s supposedly inhospitable north can dismantle prejudice and rebuild his family life.

What is Welcome to the Sticks like to watch?

Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Welcome to the Sticks as brisk, its intensity as mild and its storytelling as easy to follow.

Is Welcome to the Sticks violent?

No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in Welcome to the Sticks.

What did critics think of Welcome to the Sticks?

Critics generally found the film an entertaining and warmly accessible comedy whose regional humor and performances outweighed its broad stereotypes.

Which films are like Welcome to the Sticks?

Films with a similar feel include The Full Monty, Brassed Off, and The Valet.

How long is Welcome to the Sticks?

Welcome to the Sticks runs 106 minutes.

Where can I watch Welcome to the Sticks?

In United States, Welcome to the Sticks streams on Amazon Prime Video, Kanopy, Hoopla, Fandango at Home Free, Plex, Plex Player, Plex Channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads.