By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 4 cats
Director: Lucas Belvaux
Starring: Alex Descas | André Marcon | Anne Consigny | Françoise Fabian | Michel Voïta | Yvan Attal
Country: belgium, france
Year: 2011
Running time: 125
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430110/
Michael says: “I was excited to get the opportunity to see RAPT, the latest directorial effort from Chlotrudis Award winner (and past guest) Lucas Belvaux at the Boston French Film Festival this past weekend. RAPT is a political thriller starring Yvan Attal (Charlotte Gainsbourg’s husband, and star of the films HAPPILY EVER AFTER and MY WIFE IS AN ACTRESS) as Stanislaf Graff, President of a multi-national corporation. In the opening scenes, Stanislas is shown working at his company, preparing for a meeting with the French President, passionately kissing a woman at his apartment, losing money in a poker game and interacting with his wife and two teen-aged daughters. Soon after that he is kidnapped by masked men and taken hostage for ransom. For the first third of the film things proceed like a basic kidnapping thriller but gradually we see Belvaux’s real story unfold. RAPT focuses on the people affected by Stan’s kidnapping and the emotional and political toll it takes on them. The interested parties include his family, “the group” for whom he works, the police, the kidnappers, the public as Stan’s illicit adventures become fodder for the press, and Stan himself. Belvaux layers many reactions and motivations throughout the large cast of characters creating a complex human drama circling around a terrifying situation.
“The acting is great, with Attal leading the pack as the victim of the crime who must deal with not only the kidnapping itself, but the aftermath. Alex Descas, last seen in Claire Denis’ 35 SHOTS OF RUM, makes a strong presence as the Graff family lawyer, working with Stan’s wife and his own understanding of Stan’s wishes despite the wishes of the police to allow them to be involved. André Marcon does a great job playing the man ‘the group’ has take over Stan’s responsibilities in the company during his absence. Anne Consigny is strong as Stan’s wife Francoise who must deal not only with her husband’s kidnapping, but the public airing of all his indiscretions and gambling debts.
“At first I didn’t think I was going to be fairly neutral about RAPT, writing it off as a standard thriller, yet the multi-layered approach Belvaux takes as director and writer is compelling leading to a powerful ending that leaves many questions unanswered, and several lives still in turmoil. 4 cats”