Quartile rating: 6.5/10 · 1 rating
Matthias Le Goff, an Olympic champion at the end of his career, makes a homophobic statement on TV. His punishment: coach the Shiny Shrimps, a flamboyant and amateur gay water-polo team. They have only one thing in mind: to qualify for the Gay Games in Croatia where the hottest international LGBT athletes compete. It's the start of a bumpy and joyful ride - Faster, Higher, Stronger.
The Shiny Shrimps is a likable French comedy that follows a familiar redemption-arc template — gruff homophobe learns to accept the LGBTQ+ community he's been assigned to help — but executes it with genuine warmth and charm. The plot is predictable but functional, hitting the expected beats of underdog sports comedies without much surprise. The ensemble cast brings energy and charisma, with solid performances throughout, though no one delivers anything particularly transformative. Cinematography is workmanlike and functional, typical of mid-budget French comedies with little visual ambition. Novelty sits slightly above average thanks to its specific gay water-polo setting and the French queer sports-comedy niche it occupies, though the redemption formula underneath is well-worn. The ending is satisfying and emotionally earned if not surprising, delivering the feel-good resolution audiences expect. Overall a crowd-pleasing, good-natured comedy that doesn't overreach but delivers on its modest promises.