Bis an die Grenze

Being or rather working for the police force is quite the hard work. It has a lot of responsiblities - it is not well paid. You are under constant criticism - and of course you have to deal with bad apples and that the general public perceives you a certain way because of them. The latter is not something that plays a role in this movie.

This is more a social drama/thriller that has to do with someone who may or may not be a criminal and since he is a foreigner (in France), has to be taken back to the country he came from. Actually not just a foreigner, but an illegal alien as the Americans like to say I believe.

There is more to him than meets the eye though - even if he himself is not able to express that. But before we delve into that part of the story we do spend some time with our two main protagonists, who have their own things going - no pun intended. But when they meet the immigrant ... well things happen.

Not action filled overall, but more edge of your seat kind of tension when you wait to see what happens next. Good acting and really well done with the script.

The real star of _Night Shift_ is cinematographer Yves Angelo, who shot tableaux after 2.35:1 tableaux of beautiful, impressionistic night scenes. Usually night scenes come off as garbage on my computer screen; not this one! Angelo was a highly regarded and award-winning cinematographer in the 90s (_Un Couer en Hiver_ being a particular standout). He dabbled in directing afterwards (_Colonel Chabert_ is very good) but has mostly stuck to director of photography duties since. His work with director Anne Fontaine in _White as Snow_ is interesting too, dynamic and atmospheric, although I didn't notice it was him when I saw the film.

It is admitted an odd screenplay coming from Anne Fontaine. Her recent films have centered around charismatic heroines asserting themselves, their ideals, in settings unfamiliar to them, and in the process rediscovering themselves. _Night Shift_ is in contrast an ensemble piece, a snapshot of the lives of three police officers in France. Omar Sy (famous for "Lupin") and Virginie Efira (who is in every other French film these days) do their best to dramatize their soul-destroying, family-wrecking vocation. It is adapted from a novel. The title "Police" is infinitely more evocative than the English one, as the film treats the immigrant in their charge, about to be deported, as a cipher. The cathartic ending is better than most reviewers would have you believe.

Very well played and dramatized story of a female police officer trying to make her way in a male dominated environment while following her instincts and compassion along the way. Not so much a must-see, but a warm female look into the street police routine and definitely enjoyable main cast.

I personally loved it, it's great. Suspension of disbelief is needed. It is of course a fantasy and it never happens in real life. It's about other greater things in life.

More of a character study from different perspectives than a full-blown movie. It is difficult to digest why Virginie needed to form a relationship with the cocky tinted cop who seemed to be totally in love with himself and for most of the movie was patronizing towards her. Can understand the husband's slight outburst when he has to deal with their young child almost alone. So things don't appear to totally ring true. Would have been better if the deportee's background and situation had been better explained. Instead he simply broods throughout the movie. Had potential but not fully explored. Felt a little cheated at the end where you have to decide on everyone's fate for yourself . Female lead was the best performance but not a movie to embrace. Felt a little self-indulgent and over-arty.