3 reviews
When the closing credits of the movie roll ,"what a wonderful world" (not Louis Armstrong's version) is ironically heard ,giving the coup de grace to the portrait of a beautiful loser in a hostile depressing environment.
Pierre Jolivet's film is a thriller in disguise ; although ,towards the end ,his work turns film noir, it's essentially the portrait of a loser , masterfully portrayed by Olivier Gourmet ,one of the best European actors: in spite of his plight ,of an ominous future in sight ( "when I retire , I 'll have to go the Restaurants du Coeur -a charity organization which provides the needy with food- ,before ending my life in in a place for old people )- ,the thespian never overacts , but his gestures of disillusions ,his hangdog looks and his tired eyes tell the whole story of a man who fell by the wayside when he became unemployed on account of a ruthless economy ;all he can find is casual works , with fixed-term contract ;a permanent one is possible, but when ? ("and anyway,do not expect a pay r(a)ise ")
He used to work as a skilled workman,now he's a night watchman, "a job where you get paid to do nothing" ; his life is cruelly empty: no wife or children, no partner , only cigarettes and a bottle to kill time ; the scene is the chic restaurant is revealing : when he looks at those people who dine dressed up to the nines ,we feel his resentment :why did they get so lucky ?
More than a thriller (only the last part deals with the genre ),it's a wandering through an urban landscape ,often in the darkest night ; some friendly faces ,like Etienne,his former colleague ,Ketou,his black friend he somewhat takes care of ,and mainly the social worker who has her own problems,played by Valerie Bonneton who gives a moving compassionate performance; her smile can lighten this dreary landscape .
Looking at the migratory birds flying high in the sky,heading for the hot countries , the hero's mate words are a transparent metaphor : "these birds never let one of them down ; they make love over here ,and then they leave us for better horizons " As he contemplates the sky ,the unfortunate hero seems to think :"why can't we?"
Pierre Jolivet's film is a thriller in disguise ; although ,towards the end ,his work turns film noir, it's essentially the portrait of a loser , masterfully portrayed by Olivier Gourmet ,one of the best European actors: in spite of his plight ,of an ominous future in sight ( "when I retire , I 'll have to go the Restaurants du Coeur -a charity organization which provides the needy with food- ,before ending my life in in a place for old people )- ,the thespian never overacts , but his gestures of disillusions ,his hangdog looks and his tired eyes tell the whole story of a man who fell by the wayside when he became unemployed on account of a ruthless economy ;all he can find is casual works , with fixed-term contract ;a permanent one is possible, but when ? ("and anyway,do not expect a pay r(a)ise ")
He used to work as a skilled workman,now he's a night watchman, "a job where you get paid to do nothing" ; his life is cruelly empty: no wife or children, no partner , only cigarettes and a bottle to kill time ; the scene is the chic restaurant is revealing : when he looks at those people who dine dressed up to the nines ,we feel his resentment :why did they get so lucky ?
More than a thriller (only the last part deals with the genre ),it's a wandering through an urban landscape ,often in the darkest night ; some friendly faces ,like Etienne,his former colleague ,Ketou,his black friend he somewhat takes care of ,and mainly the social worker who has her own problems,played by Valerie Bonneton who gives a moving compassionate performance; her smile can lighten this dreary landscape .
Looking at the migratory birds flying high in the sky,heading for the hot countries , the hero's mate words are a transparent metaphor : "these birds never let one of them down ; they make love over here ,and then they leave us for better horizons " As he contemplates the sky ,the unfortunate hero seems to think :"why can't we?"
- ulicknormanowen
- Apr 18, 2020
- Permalink
- searchanddestroy-1
- Apr 7, 2015
- Permalink
The basic gift of film is the admirable performance of Olivier Gourmet. The second - the cold taste of life. A single man, for live working as night watchman. His friends, deep loneliness, noble intentions, frustrations , death. Lost causes, desire to give some sense to lives of other or him, the justice spirit and the last image.
At first sight, a new French social fresco of small people crushed by life.
In fact, a precise image about sickness of near reality and the effort, in Don Quijote style, to cure it.
Short, new beautiful demonstration of the great art of Olivier Gourmet.
At first sight, a new French social fresco of small people crushed by life.
In fact, a precise image about sickness of near reality and the effort, in Don Quijote style, to cure it.
Short, new beautiful demonstration of the great art of Olivier Gourmet.
- Kirpianuscus
- Apr 16, 2022
- Permalink