Close Menu
  • Login
  • Support Us
  • Newsletter
  • News
  • Features
  • Interviews
  • Reviews
    • Video Games
      • Previews
      • PC
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X/S
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Xbox One
      • PS4
      • Tabletop
    • Film
    • TV
    • Anime
    • Comics
      • BOOM! Studios
      • Dark Horse Comics
      • DC Comics
      • IDW Publishing
      • Image Comics
      • Indie Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • Oni-Lion Forge
      • Valiant Comics
      • Vault Comics
  • Podcast
  • More
    • Event Coverage
    • BWT Recommends
    • RSS Feeds
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Support Us
But Why Tho?
RSS Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube
Trending:
  • Features
    Cosmic Spider-Man card details

    [EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

    09/02/2025
    Lee Corso from College Football GameDay in EA Sports games

    EA Sports Always Understood Lee Corso’s Legacy

    09/01/2025
    Peacemaker Season 2 Episode 2 But Why Tho 10

    Spider-Man Is Coming To Magic And It’s Just Like The Comics

    08/29/2025
    Star Wars Visions Volume 3 Black

    ‘Black’ Sets The Tone For A Bold New Mixtape In ‘Star Wars Visions: Volume 3’

    08/28/2025
    Olivia Colman in The Roses

    ‘The Roses’ Is A Reimagining, Not A Remake, And That’s Why It Works So Well

    08/27/2025
  • Indie Games
  • K-Dramas
  • Netflix
  • Apple TV+
But Why Tho?
Home » Film » Cannes 2022: ‘Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be’ Is a Joyful Homage

Cannes 2022: ‘Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be’ Is a Joyful Homage

Ricardo GallegosBy Ricardo Gallegos05/27/20223 Mins Read
Little Nicholas Happy As Can Be - But Why Tho
Share
Facebook Twitter Pinterest Reddit WhatsApp Email

Little Nicholas Happy As Can Be - But Why Tho

Before Cannes 2022, I had never heard of Little Nicholas (Le petit Nicolas), a star of comic strips and graphic novels hugely popular internationally, mainly in his homeland of France. That is why an animated work like Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be is so appreciated: it not only provides a complete and entertaining introduction to the character but is also a lovely tribute to his story and creators.

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here

Starting in 1955 with the creation of Nicholas by writer René Goscinny and artist Jean-Jacques Sempé, the film jumps between timelines and worlds to recount, always with creativity and a sweet tone, the artistic and narrative elements surrounding the character, as well as the life experiences of their creators. To do this, the directing duo of Amandine Fredon and Benjamin Massoubre were supported by the scriptwriting work of Anne Goscinny, René’s daughter, as well as Michel Fessler, screenwriter of “March of the Penguins”.

Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be deftly intersects the real lives of Sempé and Goscinny with the fictional life of Nicholas. On the one hand, we learn about the friendship between the artists, as well as their artistic process to capture their ideas on paper, and on the other, we have the fun adventures of Nicholas with his family and friends, which ranges from indigestion caused by excessive Grandma love to playing hooky

The film goes a step further when Nicholas steps out of the pages to talk with his creators, giving rise to an exploration of their lives that involve complicated childhoods, the inspiring figure of a grandfather, migration to Argentina, and the terror of the Holocaust. All of this provides an understanding of the inspirations, drawn from their imperfect lives, that nurtured and gave “Le Petit Nicolas” its own identity to transcend pop culture. And despite the heaviness of some themes, Fredon and Massoubre tackle them with a lighthearted tone without the need to simplify the intellectual level of the film.

Each “world” has its own visual style. Nicholas’s resembles his original illustrations; it features unfinished watercolor strokes and a big white vignette. Meanwhile, the real-world visual takes inspiration from Sempé’s illustrations for the New Yorker; here, the strokes are well defined, and more complex cinematographic techniques are used in the animation. Although the vignette of the former is quite annoying, both worlds are a delight for the pupil.

In addition to Anne Goscinny helping tell her father’s story, Jean-Jacques Sampé himself participated in the animation tests, thus giving the film a seal of quality; and his passion for music is embedded in the story through a memorable sequence using “Que’est-ce qu’on attend pour être heureux?” by Ray Ventura. And to complement the vintage aesthetic and tone of the story, Ludovic Bource (The Artist) delivers a beautiful and vivid original score.

Although some of Nicholas’s adventures last too long, the love towards the character, creators, and legacy is palpable in Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be, a feel-good movie with beautiful animation and an air of nostalgia that, always bears an optimistic and playful smile, addresses issues such as resilience, artistic struggles, and art as a tool for relief. It is an introduction, a tribute, and a celebration that children and adults alike can enjoy.

Little Nicholas: Happy As Can Be (Le petit Nicolas: Qu’est-ce qu’on attend pour être heureux?) was screened at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival as part of the Special Screenings program.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn WhatsApp Reddit Email
Previous ArticleJurassic World Evolution 2: Dominion Biosyn Expansion Launches June 14
Next Article REVIEW: ‘Downton Abbey: A New Era’ Is A Film Made With Fans In Mind
Ricardo Gallegos

Ricardo is a Mexico City-based bilingual writer, Certified Rotten Tomatoes film critic and Digital Animation graduate. He loves cats, Mass Effect, Paddington and is the founder of the film website “La Estatuilla.

Related Posts

Choi Gyu-ri, Shin Eun-Soo in Love Untangled
7.5

REVIEW: ‘Love Untangled’ Is Just Adorable

08/31/2025
Austin Butler in Caught Stealing
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Caught Stealing’ Marks An Exciting Pivot for Darren Aronofsky

08/27/2025
Margaret Qualley stars as Honey O' Donahue in the film Honey Don't
8.5

REVIEW: ‘Honey Don’t!’ Is A Genius Work Of Subversion And Fantasy Fulfillment

08/25/2025
Benedict Cumberbatch in The Roses But Why Tho
5.0

 REVIEW: ‘The Roses’ Lacks A Thorny Edge

08/25/2025
Mert Ramazan Demir in Abandoned Man
6.5

REVIEW: ‘Abandoned Man’ Lacks Depth In Its Take On Betrayal

08/22/2025
Ne Zha 2 promotional still from a24
10.0

REVIEW: ‘Ne Zha 2’ Is One Of The Most Epic Feats Of Animation

08/21/2025

Get BWT in your inbox!

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get the latest and greated in entertainment coverage.
Click Here
TRENDING POSTS
Cosmic Spider-Man card details Features

[EXCLUSIVE PREVIEW] The Spider-Man Set Gets A 5-Color Legendary Spider

By Kate Sánchez09/02/2025Updated:09/02/2025

An exclusive look at a new 5-Color Spider entering Magic: The Gathering’s Spider-Man set, and Cosmic Spider-Man is going to be a tough one to take on.

Hololive EN at Radio City Music Hall Events

Hololive EN At Radio City Music Hall Was A Pure Expression Of Fandom

By Adrian Ruiz08/31/2025Updated:09/03/2025

Hololive EN turned Radio City in New York City into the pure expression of fandom: chants, penlights, and community in perfect sync.

Karl Anthony Towns in NBA 2k26 But Why Tho
8.5
PS5

REVIEW: ‘NBA 2K26’ Brings Basketball To Life

By Kyle Foley09/03/2025

NBA 2K26 combines improved visuals with some important tweaks to keep the series feeling fresh in the latest yearly release.

Cronos: The New Dawn Nest
8.0
PC

REVIEW: ‘Cronos: The New Dawn’ Does Post-Apocalyptic Psychological Horror Right

By Mick Abrahamson09/03/2025Updated:09/03/2025

While not particularly sacry, Cronos: The New Dawn is a lot of fun as a survival horror that puts you in the futuristic armor of the Traveler.

But Why Tho?
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest RSS YouTube Twitch
  • CONTACT US
  • ABOUT US
  • PRIVACY POLICY
  • SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER
  • Review Score Guide
Sometimes we include links to online retail stores. If you click on one and make a purchase we may receive a small contribution.
Written Content is Copyright © 2025 But Why Tho? A Geek Community

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.

But Why Tho Logo

Support Us!

We're able to keep making content thanks to readers like YOU!
Support independent media today with
Click Here