It was a dreamed role for him, ONLY him could play it. Definitely. He is in this film more or less exactly what he is in real life. An actor who can not bear himself anymore, who suffers to live, a bitter, disenchanted sixty years old man, more than overweight and whoo suffers of heart problems, a man who lost his self esteem. A sort of French CRY MACHO with Depardieu instead of Clint Eastwood. His encounter with a young woman, a female wrestler, also a bit overweight will bring some change in his flat, boring, worthless life. The film is about this cute, touching relationship, and not necessarily the one most people could expect. A great role for Depardieu who shows here his deep wound, since the death of his son, back in 2008. Depardieu doesn't play here, HE IS HIMSELF, in a role of an actor who is also himself. As John Wayne playing an old timer suffering of cancer in THE SHOOTIST.