Un illustre inconnu

Nice movie. Good acting. I wouldn't say it's a masterpiece, as others have stated, but entertaining and interesting nonetheless, would have liked to see more of Paris in it. Solid 7.5.

Engrossing (if slightly overlong - the first 30 minutes are essentially just a dress rehearsal for the rest) little thriller with an award-caliber chameleonic performance by Mathieu Kassovitz; this must be one of the acting highlights of his career. Smartly presented ending. *** out of 4.

What kind of person wants to inhabit other people's lives? An actor. Only with an actor there's not the same type of risk.So he's a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I kept wondering what he was going to do in their position. Would he be a killer? In this case he takes the musician and makes him a better person.

Not very believable, but... excellent performances all around. Even the child actor is excellent, and the two leads are fantastic. Supporting cast is also very good. Bizarre story, but definitely not derivative, not the same old thing!

If you are a fan of French cinema, or European films in general, it's worth a look. It is quite slow, especially in the early stages, but if you are patient, the pace and plot pick up quite a bit.

So poignant and subtly played, Kassovitz's performance and the screenwriting by Matthieu Delaporte (and Alexandre de La Patellière) are weightless, crystalline in execution. It's clear Delaporte's background.in theater was inspired by the great Luigi Pirandello and transposed here brilliantly. I had to actually check whether this was based on a book. Super understated. The casting of the Downton Abbey villainess is interesting and Marie-Josée Croze is very moving. The prosthetics are impressive and blend seamlessly. It's fascinating to watch Mathieu Kassovitz disappear literally into the role.