Bertrand Tavernier's new film, awarded the Golden Bear in Berlin, is his best in years, tighter and better paced than the already very successful L-627. In fact the two films show opposite sides of the same coin. In L'appat, Tavernier employs the same style of swift, energetic
camera-work in reconstructing the true story of three young Parisians who
cold-bloodedly commit two particularly atrocious murders.
The main characters are initially described in a matter of fact way as ordinary members of today's society. The girl has an insignificant job and envies the movie stars their lifestyles and salaries. At night she flirts with wealthy people, film producers or lawyers who might help her into the showbiz world, teasing them with the expectation of an evening in her company.
Her boyfriend, the son of a clothes dealer, who dreams of making money in America, devours Hollywood action movies on video. From them, he gets the idea of using his girlfriend as bait in order to get into the flats of her rich acquaintances and empty their safes. This will provide them with the money needed to cross the Atlantic and set up their own business on the other side.
Without overtly making any moral or social statement, Tavernier, by the sheer impact of his behavioural approach, tells a lot about a certain kind of contemporary youth, family oriented (they care about their parents), but at the same time utterly irresponsible, living in the midst of an amoral and materialistic society. The film is never fascinated by the violence it shows nor condones its practitioners, neither does it adopt a condescending approach to its young protagonists.
Michel Ciment (FIPRESCI)
Prod cos: Hachette Premiere, Little Bear
Dir: Bertrand Tavernier
Scr: Colo Tavernier O'Hagan, Bertrand Tavernier
Ph: Alain Choquart
Prod des: Emile Ghigo
Mus: Philippe Haim
Ed: Luce Grunenwaldt
Cast: Marie Gillain, Olivier Sitruk, Bruno Putzulu.
International sales: President
Running time: 113mins
