By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 1.5 cats
Director: Patrick Grandperret
Starring: Céline Sallette | Gianni Giardinelli | Hande Kodja
Original language title: Meurtrières
Country: belgium, france
Year: 2007
Running time: 79
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0487456/
Bruce says: “MURDERERS (MEURTRIÈRES) is a pointless film – it’s not a character study, cautionary tale, or sociological study. It has been given the air of a mystery or possibly a thriller but it fall flat in those departments as well. The film begins with Lizzy (Céline Sallette) walking down a highway in a camisole half covered with blood. At first it looks as though she may have been in an automobile wreck. She stumbles into a house where a woman greets her and offers to help. When another girl (Nina played by Hande Kodja) suddenly enters the room the woman screams. It is soon obvious that this is the end of the story for minutes later the film flashes back to an earlier time period, probably a few months before.
“Within a few minutes we witness Lizzy’s mental breakdown, which causes her to be institutionalized. Her boyfriend Malik (Shafik Ahmad) is initially supportive but quickly gives up on her when the severity of her condition becomes obvious. Then we follow Nina for over half of the film before she becomes comatose, supposedly overcome by anxiety. The two meet on the grounds of the mental hospital.
“Nina begins her journey in Paris where her cousin Laura finds a woman named Hélène Jobert (Anaïs de Courson) to drive her
part way to Bordeaux. Nina is going south because she hasn’t been feeling well. Hélène has an ulterior motive; her thoughts
about Nina are amorous. Once in La Rochelle they stay at a hotel run by Hélène’s family. Hélène’s brother (Gianni Giardinelli) also has designs on Nina and the woman down the road at the golf club hires Nina with the intent of bedding her, too. It’s enough to drive a normal girl crazy. Nina is polite but aloof and distant to almost everyone she meets.
“The two girls break out of the mental institution and begin a road trip that is poorly thought, fraught with problems because the girls have no money. They stop at the golf club to collect Nina’s back pay then go on a binge and spend it all. Hung over, they weight their options. They visit everyone they know in the immediate area and end up insulting everyone. They hitch rides and are asked to exit the vehicle. Their responses are vituperative. Almost all those with whom they have altercations refer to them as sluts. And that’s the core of the film – two psychotic sluts.
“I personally did not care for Céline Sallette’s performance. The supporting cast is quite good, however. The screen presence of the gorgeous Hande Kodja really saves the film from being a total loss. 1.5 cats
“MURDERERS was screened as part of the 2007 Rendez-Vous with French Cinema festival at Lincoln Center”