Excellent! It has been ages since I have seen such a good neo-noir. I am really glad I watched this without knowing anything about it. I highly recommend watching it without even reading the rest of my review. I wouldn't say the synopsis below is a spoiler exactly - watching the two minute trailer definitely is, that is why this is the first time I have not included one in this series - but, as I said, this is a film best seen with as little knowledge about it as possible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
Something bad happens. It is not exactly the protagonist's fault, at first. Under the right circumstances - with the right defense lawyer - it could easily be portrayed as just an accident, but that wouldn't be much of a noir, would it? It wouldn't be much of a story at all.
The darkest shadow of suspicion imaginable soon descends on the protagonist and he seals his own fate doing what appears to him as his only choice. However, in classic Chandleresque fashion, every step he takes with purpose to protect himself and his loved ones backfires, making things worse and worse.
At the end, there was a touching and very appropriate moment of redemption, but the atmosphere, score and acting still make this one of most deliciously dark noir films that I have seen in a long time.
Niels Arestrup, the mob boss from A Prophet, plays a non-criminal, yet equally menacing authoritative figure in this film. Fans of this film will also like "The Square," directed by Nash Edgerton.
So Sayeth the King of Funny Faces!
