Verhängnisvolles Alibi

This 1998 film was just released in Singapore (Apr 2000) probably due to Virginia Ledoyen & Guillaume Canet presence in The Beach (the crushing disappointment from the Trainspotting Trio). Anyway, this show stood out due to the presence of Carole Bouquet. What a woman! She commands the scene she is in by her trademark ice cool and chic demeanour. Granted I was more captivated by the way she looked than her acting, which, honestly, was not bad but not staggering. Virginia Ledoyen was ravishing, naturally but if I was the husband, sigh.... I guess there won't be a story then!

This is a film that should have been retitled "Stupid things men do for beautiful women". En plein Coeur is not a great film, but it is enjoyable and has some good moments and great characters, specially the one played by Carole Bouquet, a very good, strong female character, probably the best aspect of this film. Virginie Ledoyen is a beautiful and talented actress, and she proves it here with a good performances, even if the character is less than likeable.

A tantalising tale of love, lust, betrayal and jealousy, En plein coeur amasses to nothing more than a frustrating folly, more engaged with the grandeur of its own concept than producing any real substance.

A famous Parisian lawyer (Gerard Lanvin) becomes involved with a delinquent shoplifter (Virginie Ledoyen) following her attempt to rob a jewellers with a toy gun. Entranced by her passion and life, the lawyer leaves his chic wife, the timelessly elegant Carole Bouquet, to embark upon an affair so devoid of emotion, that the viewer must wonder whether the director himself needs an alibi.

The cast turn in adequate performances, although special mention should be made to Carole Bouquet's effortlessly aristocratic character who provides all moments of emotion. Simultaneously innocent and wise to her husbands impending betrayal, she forms an intriguing character, too frequently overlooked in favour of the disjointed and superficial Virginie Ledoyen.

En plein coeur is guilty of all the cliches that is normally to be found in North American film. On this occasion it is a French director who believes you should feel moved by the force of the leads passion when he tells his wife he's leaving her for a woman who makes him "feel young again." For me, there is no irony here, polishing and carefully arranging each cliche does not merit praise, only disappointment.

First of all, the story. It is as implausible as unoriginal, the entire idea of this movie screams drama and it's not at all entertaining. It's bizarre to see events of this magnitude of stupidity in such settings, usually it happens in reality shows or in some soap dramas and as a filler sequence between something more meaningful. Yet, there it is: an entire movie from a soap opera subplot. There is no intrigue, events are very predictable and the only saving grace of the movie could have been the excellent casting... But no, actors are doing such a great job that the story looks even worse.

Carole Bouquet is an absolute star of this movie and pleasure to watch, which makes the whole experience quite painful: her character doesn't deserve this treatment, not even close. She is also the only reason to ever consider watching the movie, she is that good and steals the show completely.

There are pacing problems and some sequences are negative in value, but the ending really takes the cake. It is as anticlimactic as it could be and movie should have been cut short couple of minutes earlier to make it fair.

In films, as in life, things aren't that complicated. When things start rolling, it usually follows suit and ends well. Whereas when everything gets complicated right from the start... By the way the gripping story is told, how nothing is in vain, and the perfect music that accompanies everything, let alone the 80ish photography, you can tell this film is just everything it was meant to be.

Carole Bouquet's regard, right from the start, knowing and yet forgiving, is worth many cinema tickets. If you think she's just a gelid pretty face like Catherine Deneuve, watch this film. Real classy. Virginie Ledoyen is very natural as a nice, alluring and totally manipulative temptress. So beauty you can hardly blame poor Maitre Lanvin for believing her, for thinking he's really saving somebody out of dejection and being thankful to destiny for "all he had got, with the aid of chance". J.P. Lorit, from the underdog "Seule", has clear intentions right from the start. Would have liked a bit more of "character development" for him. Lanvin is perfectly cast! He's done great comedy like Camping and dramedy "Viens chez moi...", this shows he's good at more serious stuff. Mar Sodupe's wardrobe and hairdo deserve the best for looking the worst :)! She looks like the "very ugly female characters" from any Almodóvar film. Which proves that "good loyal friends come in all shapes & sizes" :). Denis Podalydès is from the Comédie Française, and it shows. He did small successes like "Figaro", in here he is as expressive as anybody can be with his small role of looser turned "defender of true causes". I found Guillaume Canet's character likable and believable in his stupidity (who didn't have an obnoxious high school bully like him?). But, this is the only criticism I can make to the film... isn't him a bit too powerful? Hey, couldn't a big time lawyer like M. Farnese got rid of him, buy him, send some thugs, put him in jail for being a petty dealer? I don't know, if even Martorel (the loosing lawyer) knew... One always has a favourite moment, mine is Bouquet's speech to Martorel when she defends him, after everything everybody knows, with a speech that should be required reading/ viewing for anybody interested in justice and morality, let alone practicing lawyers. And the best line also belongs to her, when they cross at the tribunals: "No, (I didn't get what I wanted.) I just wished you were dead" and she leaves exuding class, like few mortals could do, let alone top models half her age. I agree with IMDb reviewer "jintz" that Ledoyen's character is rather one-dimensional.

Watch it, you'll have fun and see for yourself how dangerous can a sexy kitten be, how stupid do they make us. (Transform the sentence if you are a woman, the rules apply equally for any "Vincent". There are many "Cécile Maudets" in our lives. It's in us to realize they are well, basically incapable of feeling.