Liebe und Intrigen

Large, spacious offices with magnificent views, a cluster of seemingly enviably successful business people.Everything is elegant and stylish, clothes and furniture. Almost like a perfect place on earth. But, this is corporate world, thickly populated with useful sociopaths, the lucky ones that made their pathology not only acceptable, but highly profitable. Well, good for them, but not so good for us. Their ruthless and efficient lunacy, transformed our world into new gladiator arena. Survival of the sickest. No room for compassion or decency. Hence the famous mantra of the demonic new ruling class. It's not personal, it's business. Dangerous saying for dangerous times. A permit to maim and slaughter all who are less deserving, and that's everybody, except themselves.Because who works harder doing nothing useful as this coven of warlocks and witches. New horror for the new era.

Apart from saying that this movie is about competition between two ambitious female executives, I don't plan to get into the plot. The strength of the movie lies in the performances of the principals, Kristin Scott Thomas as the ruthless senior executive, and Ludivine Sagnier as her imaginative young assistant. Ms. Scott Thomas, English born but a long-time resident of France, seems to appear in an unending stream of British, French and American movies. This an unusual role for her but she is an accomplished actress and carries it off with her usual skill. The younger Ms. Sagnier is also splendid in an equally demanding part. Eventually, "Love Crime" becomes an intricately plotted murder mystery which, at least for me, is unconvincing. But I enjoyed the ride.

In Paris, Christine Rivière (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a tough executive of a French corporation. Her assistant Isabelle Guérin (Ludivine Sagnier) is an intelligent and cunning young woman needy of love and affection. When Isabelle is assigned to travel to Cairo with the lawyer Philippe Deschamps (Patrick Mille) to show her project, her idea is successful and Isabelle and Philippe have one night stand. Back in France, the senior management in the headquarter in Washington congratulates Christine for the project and she does not give the credit to Isabelle. Soon she notes that the manipulative Christine is using her to climb in the corporation. When her secretary Daniel (Guillaume Marquet) shows another project from Washington, Isabelle proposes improvements but does not show them to Christine. They have a meeting with the American executives and Isabelle is congratulated by them. Christine begins a war and humiliates Isabelle first using Philippe that has embezzled a large amount and is in her hands and then in a party. Isabelle plots a scheme and kills Christine at home. However the calculating Isabelle leaves many evidences in the crime scene incriminating herself and does not have an alibi.

"Crime d'amour" is another great French thriller with a good story of ambition, ingratitude and revenge. The two lead actresses, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier, are wonderful and their duel is engaging. The theme, competition in a corporation, is a reality and the viewer will certainly identify characters with real real coworkers or ex-coworkers. The conclusion shows how dangerous is the secretary Daniel. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Crime de Amor" ("Love Crime")

In Love Crime, the French have taken Mike Nichols' Working Girl and turned it into a true thriller, not just a sociological study of corporate ambition and intrigue. Isabelle (Ludivine Sagnier) is the young executive in a large global corporation; Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas) is her boss and mentor. All's well while they love each other; not so when Christine usurps Isa's ideas without attribution in the name of collaboration.

That first half, where the two execs jockey for success and independence, emphasizes shady but not lethal methods. When an unexpected plot twist changes the film into a more traditional thriller, the film is nonetheless fascinating as the protagonist makes her way through a maze created by herself and seemingly deadly for her career and her personal life.

The late director, Alain Corneau, crafts the intrigue so as to allow his actors the widest scope for their talent, especially Sagnier, who goes from introverted neophyte to deadly colleague learning from her mentor the tricks necessary to break through the glass ceiling. Not so successful is Corneau with the police, who can't seem to get it right even the second time around.

Typically French is the emphasis on Isabelle to be loved and Christine to be admired. The larceny that ensues can be traced to these driving emotions, and only the French can deconstruct them both and still produce an engrossing suspense.

Having watched Sweet Karma earlier tonight, I don't know if I was in the mood for two revenge movies, but this is very different.

A favorite of mine, Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient, Four Wedding and a Funeral) stars with another fave, Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool, 8 Women). They are number one and two in a multinational's Paris location. Christine Thomas) is not above stealing the ideas of Isabelle (Sagnier) to get transferred to New York.

This was director Alain Corneau's last film, and it has already been picked up for a remake by Brian DePalma coming out this year. It is rumored that Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes, Red Eye) and Noomi Rapace (the original Lisbeth Salander) will star.

After Christine threatens and humiliates Isabelle, she plots her revenge. Needless to say, it is an elaborate plot. I can't say anything more or it will spoil the film for you.

It had me on the edge of my seat in the second half.