La Cage Aux Folles 2

The casting is pricless, with Michel Serrault even funnier as Albin, the main attraction of the elegant cabaret, "La Cage Aux Folles." Ugo Tognazzi is also terrific as his partner Renato, and their comic misadventures are a pure joy to watch. This is 100 minutes of pure escapism; hilarious, entertaining, and touching. While the escapades are taken to the extreme, these are real people with real emotions, which makes them all the better to watch. Any gay man can relate to Albin's feelings of being unloved and unaccepted and Renato trying to be the macho man in a homophobic society.

The film is entertaining from start to finish, a wonderful way to spend an evening. Make some popcorn and enjoy!


Fantastic!   March 14, 2002
B. Hartford (Massachusetts - United States)
10 out of 12 found this review helpful

La Cage II has always been my favourite of all the La Cage movies (there are 3 total). I am happy to see it in DVD format and happy too, that the audio is better than La Cage I.

I highly recommend you see this movie. It is quite good! There are plenty of action scenes throughout the comedy that will make you truly laugh. From Nice, France to Italy go Renato and Albin hiding from international spys....


the relationship continues   May 9, 2001
5 out of 9 found this review helpful

This mild sequel to director Edouard Molinaro's enormously popular La Cage aux Folles centres on an action plot involving spies and a sought after capsule of microfilm that has unknowingly fallen into the possession of Albin and Renato. The chase element therefore is a break away from the sitting room farce of the original, using many fish out of water ideas and further exploring the notion of drag as a deceptive device. Although once again Albin dresses as a woman to conceal his identity, it is the times when he dresses as a man where the most humour comes from - his scene as a window cleaner is particularly funny. Molinaro's use of the thriller elements are occasionally clunky - the first cut to a spy being chased is jarring - and there is little fun to be had in car chases and gunfire. The most interesting scenes in terms of gender politics and roleplay involve straight men dressing as gay, so as to be in the company of Albin, then naturally assumed to be gay and confronted by antagonism because of it. Of course it confirms the cliche that gay men are physically defenceless, but that is contextually acceptable. Molinaro stretches out the expectation to an almost unbearable level, as if the joke is bursting to be released. The similar slow timing of a person hiding in a birthday cake set piece is less effective. Some suspense is created from a running gag regarding where the microfilm capsule has been hidden, and there is a clever audio gag with the sound of road-drilling. The shrill screaming of Michael Serrault's Albin which was so memorably recreated by Nathan Lane in the Mike Nichols The Birdcage is repeated here, and just when we begin to grow tired of it, Molinaro uses that feeling in a dual act of heroism. Perhaps the success of the original film is due to the comparative non-threatening nature of the presentation of these gay men, further softened by the genre of comedy. And even the potentially offensive notion of Albin and Renato being older men and therefore no longer sexually active is counterbalanced by the obvious affection they feel toward each other. By removing them from the safe gay environment of their nightclub and relocating them in the hostile straight world, Molinaro and his writers Francis Veber, Jean Poiret and Marcello Danon out their characters.


I enjoy so much.   August 29, 2001
Masafumi Yamamoto (Koganei-shi, Tokyo Japan)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

If you liked "La cage aux folles" number one you will love this second story.Zaza Napoli(Michel Serrault) is very funny and touching as always.
There is:"Renatoooooooo!" which made this move famous.
You mix up spy stories, murders ,runing away,cops ,bad guys and the irresistibly funny couple Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) / Zaza Napoli and you have an very funny and adorable movie.
If you want to laugh with your family don`t hesitate ,buy this movie


Pure joy!   February 20, 2002
Daniel D. Murray (California)
4 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is my therapy film (along with the first "La Cage aux Folles). When life gets a little too dark...I reach for this.

The lead actors are masters, and the supporting cast is incredible as well.

Oh...and...a nicely chilled bottle of champagne goes well with this too!