Chien de la casse

Just when you thought you knew where the movie is headed, as you come upon an obnoxious young man, the story opens up, and roles shift. And you're reminded that humans are interestingly grey. Excellent perfomance from the lead - you'll know who it is when you see it. A story about co-dependency, enmeshment, toxicity, growing up, growing apart, reconciliation, youth, life, humans, animals, friendship; and some music, food, business, enemies, nature, beauty, art too. I loved a scene wherein light falls alternately on a man's face, in a pub, to convey his pull of emotions. In fact, I loved almost every frame of the movie. Quite enjoyable!

This is quite an enjoyably complex drama that follows the relationship between "Dog" (Anthony Bajon) and his pal "Miralès" (Raphaël Quenard). The latter man is more of his mentor, really, and quite a critical, even cruel, one at that. They've been friends since they were twelve and "Dog" is a rather shy and reticent sort of fellow that his pal constantly tries to bring more out of his shell. Well, that dynamic changes somewhat when "Elsa" (Galatéa Bellugi) arrives on the scene and quickly she and "Dog" are an item. They want to be together, they don't really want "Miralès" hanging about with them, and he doesn't take that situation well. Despite his confidence and undoubted erudition, he - a trained chef - now finds himself largely alone with only his artist other at home, and his own dog upon whom he dotes. Things come to an head when "Dog" manages to annoy a local hoodlum, draws some interesting designs on the bonnet of his car, and faces quite a perilous situation as his gang seek retribution. Things become dangerous - but who can he turn to? It's this final storyline that lets this down a bit, otherwise there's a tautly directed storyline between the two men that's peppered with a lively script riddled with sarcasm and put-downs yet also clearly imbued with a considerable degree of fraternal affection. Though a bit verbally brutal at times, there s truth to some of the barbed remarks as the young "Dog" rather aimlessly coasts through life, and Bajon portrays that character effectively - especially given that he has virtually no dialogue at all. This film is also the source of one of the most lifeless sex scenes I think I have ever seen that didn't actually involve a mortuary - and that's quite entertaining. It's quirky and different, and though I thought it did rather fizzle out a bit, I did enjoy it.

I understand that many people will find this small French drama very poignant, touching, engrossing if you watch it closely enough. This is not exactly JULES AND JIM, but the scheme is not so far from the François Truffaut's gem. Excellent character study, analysis, far from clichés, despite the classical basic plot. Not for too wide audiences, not a millions euros gross maker, but who cares? It sounds so real, so authentic. I love discovering such films, and the French industry offers us many of them. I am lucky. Yes, this is a true good curiosity to find out. So shame that the release was too confidential.

So, I have to say this film seems, on paper, to be the sort of thing that would bore the life out of me. The theme of young people drawn into dissolute lifestyles and criminal activity are two-a-penny and usually rely on hyperbole and desperate attempts to make "this film" more hard-hitting than the (almost identical) previous film on the same subject.

On that basis, I approached "Junkyard Dog" with a degree of scepticism. I WAS WRONG.

This is a small gem which, despite it's size, scintillates. The characters are unlike anything I've seen before in this genre. They are rounded, intelligent and engaging characters; entirely unlike the characters from more cliched films (I'm looking at you, the UK's abysmal and self-regarding "Ill Manors", "Kidulthood" and "My Brother the Devil").

The story revolves around the intense relationship of a taciturn (voluntary mute?) young man waiting to join the armed forces and his best friend - a garrulous bully who treats his friend with the same level of respect as he treats his dog. Gaslighting is the gobby friend's stock-in-trade. Into this arrives a young woman, who becomes involved with the quiet half of the friendship. What follows is more about the dynamics of disenfranchised young people and their hidden depths, than about choreographed scenes of irate youths waving knives about (when they aren't in a recording studio rapping).

This is a total surprise of a film that combines social commentary with affectionate insights into its three protagonists.

I'm delighted to have had the opportunity of seeing this film (on MUBI in the UK at the time of writing). It would be a real pity if this film disappeared from MUBI in a month or two and never found a wider UK audience. Just saying.

Here's a nice surprise. It's a story of friendship between two childhood friends who make a living from petty crime. One (Anthony Bajon) is mute and speaks little, while the other (Raphaël Quenard) is cultured, talkative and takes up space, harassing his willing childhood friend. Jean-Baptiste Durand manages to make these characters touching, or at least human. He doesn't judge them. Through their behavior, he shows their deeper malaise.

This little harmony of a buddy duo evolves when one of them falls in love with a young woman. They also have to deal with drug suppliers.

These are lonely characters. We follow them in their daily routines, between the villagers, the mother of one of them, their buddies, and the suppliers of the small traffic they do.

It takes place in the sun (Languedoc region), but at night, or the picture is darkened by tonal choices that don't evoke a sunny region. For this is a drama, the progression of which is difficult to guess, while the sequences that follow are easy to guess.

There's also a good use of music, not very present given the choice of naturalism, but which densifies the images.