Jason says: “A couple
years ago, French director Fred Cavayé garnered some attention
from
international action-movie fans with POINT BLANK
(/review/index) , a fast-paced
thriller that didn’t break any new ground but did everything better
than expected, adding up to a great little movie. His follow-up MEA
CULPA is along the same lines – basic story, impressive action, a
satisfying hour and a half.
“Simon (Vincent Lindon) and Frank (Gilles Lellouche) were once partners
on the police force, before a drink driving accident landed Simon in
jail; now he works as a security guard and lets his ex-wife Alice
(Nadine Labaki) and son Théo (Max Baissette de Malglaive) down.
Frank,
meanwhile, is investigating a series of execution-style underworld
killings, the type that make sure to leave no witnesses – at least, not
until Théo stumbles upon one.
“You can guess where it goes from there without much trouble – the
gangsters are going to try and eliminate the lose end, Simon and Frank
aren’t going to let the niceties of proper police procedure slow them
down, and violence will ensue. Cavayé and co-writer Guillaume
Lemans
spend a bit of time on diversions early on – one of Simon’s co-workers
cruelly hazing the new hire, just enough background detail to give the
audience a sense of the two leads – but they keep it very basic
otherwise. It’s the sort of movie where only one of a half-dozen
adversaries is referred to by name, and I had to find a picture to be
sure which one it was.
“Simple. But there’s something to be said for getting out of the way
and just showing some fine action, and Cavayé does put together
some
excellent set pieces. Take the first bit, where a rocking car in a
parking structure initially looks like someone getting busy in the back
seat until the camera points inside and the audience gets a look at
exactly how a melee in a closed space should be shot. It’s quiet for a
bit after that, but as soon as the kid witnesses a murder, one’s eyes
perk up, because the moment feels like an inciting incident and the
movie just kicks into gear after that with confrontations that are both
staged impeccably – look at how a scene that starts as a shootout near
a police station evolves into a chase that lets the audience feel
people getting boxed in – and have a real sense of danger.
Cavayé may
just be vicious enough to kill the kid, and if innocent bystanders tend
to vanish after someone opens fire in a crowded room, it’s not until
after the filmmakers have made a point about how dangerous being around
this situation is. It’s thrilling action that doesn’t mess around.
“The folks executing it do all right between the punching and shooting
and showing that going through a window hurts like hell. Vincent Lindon
is a guy who probably wouldn’t get this role in America, looking a bit
weathered and worn down, not really giving the impression of having
been a tough guy until that threat to his son throws him into a
frightening rage. Gilles Lellouche seems the more conventional leading
man, ruggedly handsome and giving off a devil-may-care vibe that lets
him be both the loose cannon and the more strait-laced cop; he’s fun to
watch without making things too light and tightening things up when
more somber moments are called for.
“It’s basic action-movie stuff done better than usual, packed into a
crisp hour and a half that has the feeling of real danger once it gets
going. Fred Cavayé doesn’t mess around, and even if this is a
somewhat
standard action-movie tale, it’s done very well. It’s a shame that its
release is so small here in the US, because the French make
surprisingly intense genre movies, and Cavayé’s are some of the
more
impressive. 4 cats
“Seen 19 November 2014 at AMC Empire #2 (first-run, DCP).” |
