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DVD Joseph et la fille
 Run time: 86 min Rating: 4.8 Genres: Crime | Drama | Thriller Director: Xavier De Choudens Writers: Xavier De Choudens Stars: Jacques Dutronc, Hafsia Herzi, Aurélien Recoing |
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| Plot Keywords: father figure, friendship, duo, casino, career criminal | |
| Details: Country: France Release Date: 18 August 2010 (France) |
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Here is a french crime movie as we can catch from time to time. Not a great film, not an ambitious one, but certainly not charmless. A pretty little crime flick.
An ex con is discharged from the can and tries to pull a last heist. His former cell mate is dead and the lead – Dutronc – has no other choice to take his dead friend's daughter as a partner in his project. But some of his former associates try to jeopardize his plans. They want to take the loot from him, after the robbery.
Jacques Dutronc gives here a very impressive performance. An old timer who has nothing to lose and tries to save some dignity, modesty and withholding. I love this kind of character.
When I saw this film, I thought of Jean Pierre Melville's BOB LE FLAMBEUR or, more recently, Jacques Bral's UN PRINTEMPS A Paris, starring Eddy Mitchell, who had a very similar character as Dutronc.
A sad story. I like this.
Joseph, a man with a long criminal record, is released from jail after spending twenty years behind bars. Hia only reaction is to urinate at the door of what was his home for two decades! Like other men in his situation, he will find the outside world an unfriendly place to go back to. With only a key in his possession he goes looking for his former cell mate Jean in whose house he is going to stay. Instead of getting a welcome mat, he gets whacked in the head by the daughter of his friend, Julie, a petty criminal herself.
Joseph had time in the joint to think he can do a masterful heist at a casino. He had time to work on the blueprint for the robbery, something that interests Julie to know. Julie thinks there is an actual plan somewhere, but in reality it is only an idea in Joseph's mind. He needs a partner he can trust and Julie offers to be the one. Her small time criminal boyfriend, Franck, is not involved, but Rapahel and Patrick, two men that knew Joseph's criminal mind, go after him to get a piece of the action. Both men figured it will not be too long before Joseph will be involved in a big robbery.
The film, directed by Xavier De Choudens, has a good premise as a thriller with a strong crime atmosphere. The execution though, is not exactly its biggest asset. The cinematography by Gordon Spooner is washed in dull colors when perhaps a bit more of color would have worked better, or made the viewer more into the drama. The action is more cerebral than exciting as the Joseph and Julie work the details.
Jacques Dutronc might have been the inspiration for the director, but he is a bland presence with his Joseph. Mr. Dutronc makes a taciturn antihero which was, perhaps, the intention of the director. Hafsia Herzi who impressed in "The Secret of the Grain" makes an attractive Julie, a woman that ultimately falls in love against her better judgment. Aurelien Recoing, Denis Menochet, and Thierry Gibault, are seen in supporting roles.