Das Leben ist ein Spiel

Betty (Isabelle Huppert) and Victor (Michel Serrault) are an unusual pair of con artists. She, in her forties, and he, in his seventies, share a relationship that defies definition: are they friends, lovers, or perhaps relatives? The ambiguity of their bond, brilliantly portrayed by the actors, lingers throughout the film, even up to its conclusion.

Specializing in small-time cons, Betty and Victor take on a far more ambitious scheme when she seduces Maurice (François Cluzet), a corporate treasurer, to steal 5 million Swiss francs. What begins as a meticulously planned heist soon spirals out of control as they become entangled in money laundering, plunging them into a perilous situation unlike anything they've faced before.

With sharp black humor, Claude Chabrol masterfully blends comedy and thriller elements, creating an atmosphere that shifts seamlessly between levity and suspense. The influence of cinematic greats like Lubitsch and Hitchcock is evident in the interplay of lighthearted moments with darker, more sinister undertones.

As the plot thickens, the audience is drawn into a web of intrigue where nothing is as it seems. The intricacies of the central con leave one wondering if Betty and Victor are not only deceiving their mark but also each other, sustaining a thrilling sense of unpredictability throughout.

The movie is certainly lighter Chabrol, with a plot that inherently depends on his frequent theme of the ambiguous relationships between people and their capacities for deception, but generally chooses to concentrate on understated elegance: even when Huppert finds a man dead in the bathtub with a spike through his eye (a moment of genuine shock value even though you more or less know it's coming) the nastiness is quickly absorbed into sophisticated exchanges with the (rather cliched) gangsters. The ambiguity extends to the relationship between the two protagonists, which appears to be father-daughter although the movie often seems to be hinting otherwise - the long lingering final shot is probably the final tease in this respect. Serrault plays his character in an engagingly grumpy, short-fused manner, which contrasts pleasantly with Huppert's pure show of elegance. Even though the opening scam seems like a dress rehearsal for a more complex and challenging movie than we ever actually get, the thing glides by most enjoyably; no less so for the faint air of slumming.

Claude Chabrol made some of the best thrillers of all time in the late sixties and early seventies, with such classics as La Rupture, This Man Must Die and Wedding in Blood under his belt. The Swindle is the most recent of all the Chabrol films that I've seen and while it has to be said that it doesn't capture the brilliant complexity of his earlier films; this is still an excellent exercise in suspense and trickery; well handled and bolstered by a very capable central cast. We focus on Elizabeth and Victor; a pair of scam artists. They pull off a successful scam and the female of the pair decides she needs some time on her own and they decide to meet up again after a ten day break. They meet up at a hotel during a dentist's convention; and Elizabeth has already found a mark named Maurice, who is transporting five million Swiss Francs on behalf of his company. The two make plans to steal the money under Maurice's nose...however, there may be more to the game than either of them realised.

This film has been described as 'lightweight Chabrol' and I'd agree with that as compared with his earlier films; there just isn't all that much to this one. However, there's still plenty about this film to enjoy. The main point of interest is the relationship between the two central characters. Chabrol never directly tells us exactly what this relationship is; her calling him 'papa' appearing to merely an affectionate term. The two central actresses are superb with the demure and attractive Isabelle Huppert acting well alongside the older Michel Serrault. The plot flows well and although it never really picks up; Chabrol keeps things going at a nice pace and always ensures that his audience wants to see what's coming next. The film is rather lightweight and enjoyable for the first hour or so and takes a darker turn towards the end; which does actually fit the film well despite the change in atmosphere. Overall, this is not vintage Chabrol by any means but it's a well made and entertaining thriller and I'm sure Chabrol fans will appreciate it.

Claude Chabrol is the master from the French New Wave who specialized in mysteries with sordid characters but aside from only a few hints of Chabrol's flare, this is a predictable "Swindle" film. Story is about an older conman named Victor (Michel Serrault) and a woman named Betty (Isabelle Huppert) who are clever but mainly smalltime thieves. We see Betty at a casino flirting with a businessman and when he's not looking she spikes his drink. They end up in his hotel room and he passes out. They steal some but not all of his money so that when he wakes up he won't be sure if he gambled it away or not. Then Betty decides to run a scam on a financial courier (Francois Cluzet) for a crime syndicate who is suppose to transfer 5 million Swiss francs but of course they plan the old "Switcharoo". After this happens the head of the syndicate named Monsieur K (Jean-Francois Balmer) escorts the two of them to his place and wants his money back! This is definitely not Chabrol's best effort but its not because its not well made, it is. But the material is so familiar that at times the film seems run of the mill. There are some nice touches like Victor always being mistaken at the hotel for an employee. The script does have you guessing about certain things like the relationship between Betty and Victor. Are they lovers? Is he her father? A few times during the film Betty calls him "Father" but it might be a pet name and they might also be tutor and student. And the caper itself is never clearly defined as we suspect that Victor had the whole thing planned ahead of time. Usually the characters in Chabrol's films are complicated and challenging for the viewer but thats not the case here. Its definitely a lightweight effort and while its mildly interesting mainly for watching another re-teaming of Chabrol and Huppert, its nowhere near Chabrol at his best.

It was refreshing seeing a con film again. As it is, it is quite light, and there is hardly anything I haven't seen in it, but does being pleased necessitate a constantly churning wheel of brand new things? It's a fun hour and forty-five minutes of standard con mechanics, and if you like con mechanics you will be delighted.

There is a point where you will find yourself surprised as the tone the film suddenly takes and controls well. Another thing it controls well is its handling of its twists, for there are always twists and mentioning their mere presence is like mentioning Spider-Man's presence in Spider-Man 3. The twists are interesting in that they feel predictable or that they're taking the simple way out, but that is never for certain.

Michael Serrault is the film's great highlight. He is tremendously likable and infectiously dry, and his occasional physical timing or subtly crisp one-liner holds the film's smiling side at bay amidst some token moments of comic relief, namely the presence of the gaudy widow whom Serrault constantly must try to hide from. And of course Huppert, as the film's real star, is truly perfect as a con woman, a 100% confident seductress, the fleshed out realization of the practically imagined version of a con woman. She does not stand out nor is she below par, even if she is upstaged a wee bit by Serrault, because she even characterizes her character's elusive quality.