El cuarto de los muertos

This is a strange one, a police procedural-type of story mixed with an almost Gothic, Hammer-esque sensibility. It mostly works, but the two strands don't entirely mesh. The police investigation aspect is the stronger. Melanie Laurent is an intuitive detective (with twin infants at home) investigating two kidnappings that may be related. The first has ended badly (not a spoiler, this is in the opening minutes of the film) due to a hit-and-run accident that killed a man trying to deliver a ransom. The accidental killers hide the body and take the money; how they react to this provides an ongoing subplot.

Once the identity of the kidnapper(s) is revealed, the film takes a detour into Gothic-y, almost Cronenberg territory. In addition, there are several flashbacks that hint at a dark past which informs Laurent's character. (I'm guessing that the novel this is based on fills in more detail about this; in the film it remains a bit vague.) The florid nature of the last 45 minutes sits uneasily with the mostly gripping procedural narrative up to that point. It's not a fatal flaw, but once we enter the world and mindset of the kidnapper(s) the film flirts with being too wiggy for its own good. However, the plotting and pacing are strong, the performances are good, the cinematography matches the dark and heightened tone of the story, and Melanie Laurent (if you ignore that at age 24, it's a stretch that she's already made detective) anchors it all as a believable and likable heroine. Plausibility is strained, but it's never boring.

Horrible title for an amazing film. It's drawn a lot of comparisons to The Silence of the Lambs, which makes sense since it was obviously inspired by it (there's even a little nod to it with the main character having the novel on her bookshelf); the bleak and unrelenting tone as a backdrop for a story with a strong but tortured female detective hunting a killer. But the film shouldn't be dismissed as a rip-off or anything close; it's a fantastic journey into the darkness with a strong performance to bring you in. The story has an interesting approach in bringing us into the world, with a drunk driving incident being the catalyst for a murder and thus bringing the police force into it all.

Unlike most tales of this nature though, we get a lot of focus into many different subplots involving a romantic relationship, the struggle of the men driving the car responsible for a murder and ultimately into the mind of the killer themselves. It gets a little cluttered in the middle with all of these strains going on, but ultimately it boils back down to a fascinating thriller with great characters and a powerful lead performance. Melanie Laurent is absolutely dynamite here, portraying the lead with a tortured soul and a strong surface front. She always has you focused on her, studying her expressions and being right with her through every emotion she faces. This is a gripping and very bleak mystery that keeps your mind racing along with your pulse; the final fifteen minutes are some of the most intense I've seen in some time. Definitely an underrated hit.

Every time you think it can't get any more dark, it still finds a way. 'La Chambre des morts' is unquestionably disturbing, but excellent. I'm not familiar with the book writer-director Alfred Lot adapted this from, but he has crafted a swell crime thriller.

Disparate early scenes are slowly stitched into the larger story, echoing the way that the various leads are pieced together in the police investigation to advance toward the conclusion. The construction of the narrative isn't entirely solid, as characters, their histories, and the relationships between them aren't necessarily fully fleshed out. The discovery of clues, and the progression of the case at hand, is so impressive for the brilliance on display that it somewhat defies belief. Our engagement with the film is slightly tainted for how neatly the plot progresses from beginning to end, even while some dots go unconnected with the characters.

Despite these minor frailties, the narrative as a whole is written well, and it's duly captivating throughout. Most of the characters are rather dubious, and to that end 'La Chambre des morts' feels somewhat like an especially gritty noir thriller - save for that the police that serve as the protagonist and chief supporting characters are so virtuous, if imperfect, that the film becomes a bit fantastical for how unrealistically competent and honorable they are.

The whole cast is very capable, and those portraying the more antagonistic characters are especially notable. But the lead role of profiler Lucie Hennebelle very deservedly belongs to Mélanie Laurent, a star who has certainly earned her reputation. Lucie is more well-rounded than other individuals in the writing, and Laurent ably embodies her insatiable curiosity and drive. It's as true here as in other pictures I've seen of hers that Laurent possesses a certain presence, and fluidity in her delivery, that makes her stand out even when she's not given top billing. Given the darker atmosphere of 'La Chambre des morts,' her involvement is all the more welcome.

It's hard not to draw at least some comparison to other thrillers that center a highly intelligent criminal profiler, and the aura this film gives off undoubtedly recalls the likes of 'Silence of the lambs.' That ambience is certainly bolstered by the great original score of Nathaniel Méchaly, which builds to an impressive crescendo at the climax from far more subtle background compositions early on. And it's especially to the credit of those behind set and production design, as there are plenty of scenes here - especially nearing the climax - where the details in their work, and the surroundings generally, do much to fix the mood.

'La Chambre des morts' is hardly perfect, but it's fun in its grimness and the thrills on hand, and it's always worth watching Mélanie Laurent practice her craft. Even with its slight flaws, the narrative is pretty capably written, and engaging. The disturbing subject material may be a turn-off for some, but otherwise this is a film well worth checking out if you get the chance.

I've had the chance to see this movie yesterday in Paris before I leave. From the trailer, I thought it's worth seeing as it looks like a good thriller/horror film. But I was so disappointed. The story line is somehow predictable. It lacks originality and you can easily compare it to a masterpiece of cinema (i'm not gonna mention the name, but i'm pretty sure you'll guess it). As for the cast, I think they were over-acting here and there, maybe due to the weak script and the empty moments where they look like not knowing what to fill the scene with. But hey, not everything is bad, you'll enjoy some good cinematography in some scenes, specially in the beginning. Unfortunately, i think it's a missed opportunity and as we say in french: Dommage, c'est raté!

I completely disagree with the comment made by the person from UAE. I'm not generally a fan of the horror/thriller genre, but since this a French film, I was willing to give it a shot. It far exceeded my expectations. I'm not going to say anything about the film's plot, because this is one of those movies to see when you don't know anything about it. I'm just going to say that a smart, small distributor should pick this movie up for distribution here in the U.S. I would suggest a title change for the U.S. from the unfortunate "Melody's Smile." Why not use the literal translation from the original French title, which is "The Room of the Dead"? The audience I saw this with in Los Angeles at COL-COA this week was very enthusiastic. This movie is so much better than the by-the-numbers horror thrillers that so many U.S. movie makers crank out. This movie is genuinely creepy and scary.