Roman de gare

Veteran French filmmaker Claude Lelouch gets ambitious, helming a murder mystery with a decidedly continental flavour. While your standard modern thriller is primarily concerned with building tension, this film is just as interested in using the story’s unknown elements to create a sense of unease that is just as powerful and far more original. His chosen approach of subtle suggestiveness mostly pays great dividends.

Lead actors Dominique Pinon and Audery Dana both come out of this looking great. Pinon switches from creepy and menacing to sympathetic as the script demands while Dana adds loads of great little touches as her character is fleshed out. All the while Lelouch uses long dissolves, picturesque photography and a fitting soundtrack to conjure an ironic, superficial romanticism that is perfect for the theme of image versus reality. Only the odd script element, such as a plot twist that leads nowhere or a red herring played out too long, detract from its obvious strengths, including some pitch perfect French farce.

Ultimately, the story’s final destination is perhaps a touch pat considering the inventive flair that has preceded it. The ride to get there though is absolutely engrossing, featuring great performances and touches from a director working at the top of his game.

By Andreas Heinemann, Flicks.co.nz