Star rating: ****
Dir: Abdel Kechiche
With: Habib Boufares, Hafsia Herzi

Tunisian-born director Abdel Kechiche achieves the remarkable feat of making the serving of dinner seem gripping in this hugely satisfying French drama. Slimane (Habib Boufares) is running on empty. Approaching 60, he's worked hard all his life since arriving from north Africa, but apart from raising a family has achieved little. His dream of opening a restaurant pitches him into battle against petty bureaucracy and prejudice, and it's a fight he looks like losing. Kechiche's film bubbles away in a charming, chaotic fashion. "A fine human adventure," as one observer of Slimane's efforts puts it. I couldn't agree more.

GFT, tomorrow to July 3