A Isca

This movie inspired from actual events reminds me another film just released; guess what: 24 JOURS, the story of the abduction, torture and killing of Ilan Allimi, also a true event occurred in 2006. The schemes are very alike but not filmed in the same way. The Alexandre Arcady film is more tense, more suspenseful. And that doesn't reduce the efficiency of the Tavernier's piece of work.

I like both. They are just made in two different ways.

That's all.

More than eighteen years are between the two of them.

the best would be to watch them both one after the other, to compare at the best. A very interesting experience.

This is a real gem. Very, very well crafted and acted, L' Appat presents the naivete of three young dreamers who try to realize their goals too easy, without understanding the complications of their actions. Apart from the smooth flow of the plot, Tavernier presents a masterful character study. Not to be missed!

This 90's oeuvre of well-known French director Bertrand Tavernier is certainly one of the most impressive dramas about alienated youth in movie history. The way Nathalie and her friends (excellent performances, especially from lead actress Marie Gillain!) behave towards each other and the human beings they encounter and destroy on their long trip downhill, raises deep questions about contemporary ethics and moral values. The story, based on a true account, is depicted in a cold, almost documentary style, which makes it even more disturbing. Not for the squeamish!

Tavernier has done better stuff than this one, to start with. The plot is easily understood: two dimwitted small crime adolescence guys want to make money. They aren't able to plan anything beyond having their petite amie of Lolita-type chatting up seemingly rich older guys in order to gain access to their flats and rob them. They are dimwitted enough to not research the locations orderly and even have no plan for what to do exactly once access has been obtained. No doubt, everything will end up in some horrible mess.

Tavernier wouldn't be Tavernier if he couldn't at least extract some deep psychological insight into the psyche of the heroes. So I stayed tuned and not just walked out. The psychological dissection of the bait, the Lolita v2.0, kept me in. She's friendly, hopelessly in love with one of the two friends in crime (because he is good-looking, as she once says). To me she's a product of our times, and an example of superficiality, a complete emotional emptiness that she can only try to fill with the guys and luxury. I think it is no spoiler to say that she sits emotionless in front of some cartoon video clips while her friends torture one of the victims. She doesn't question the torture at all, plugs ear-buds not to hear the screams instead. It has taken me to observe her. She is not cruel at all. Over time it turns out that she is principally emotionally completely detached from reality. In case you watch the movie, listen to her last line in the movie. I was devastated.

It starts as a funny film about young people. But soon it will be disturbing and I think this is because there is no one to identify with. The real violence and the incompetence is hard to stand but as far as the film tells its story the more convincing it will be. It´s an important discussion about gold, commercials and peoples weakness against it. This is not a reassuring film and it will keep you awake !

Björn Landström, Lerdala Sweden