Cinq minutes de détente

The French have never been too good at black humor but some brave filmmakers give it a try. Think of those films where the corpses vanish and reappear (see Alfred Hitchcock's "The Trouble with Harry") Where the protagonists get trapped on and on (see the Coen Brothers' "Fargo"). In this one, Richard Bohringer is an imperturbable villain who kills his wife's lover and leaves shoe prints on the premises. But not his shoe prints. The shoe prints of a law student called Philip Pabst and played by José Garcia. The wrong man then goes to the worst extremes to prove his innocence. José Garcia's acting is subtle. It gives an air of sympathy to horrifying deeds. In this film, Garcia proves to be one of the greatest a few years before all the films that would expose his talent. "Five minute break" is full of chases, enjoyable secondary characters ( such as the dead man's brother and father, in pursuit of the murderer) and a sentimental trifling. Plus a woman who plays a double(triple?) game. Once in a while, it is nonsensical and it works. Bravo.

I really hate to criticize a French-Quebec co-production, and additionally one starring Richard Bohringer, in a "signature role." But I'm surprised that this film, which I saw at the Paris Film Festival in April 1999, was finally released. It was supposed to open wide just after the festival, but didn't for several months, and it was never released widely. (I wonder why?.) One of the worse police comedies I have ever seen, this slow-paced, out of place film is absolutely implausible and is downright boring. All the (very routine) action takes place in provincial Quebec, but everyone, including the locals, have Parisian accents. Quebec accents are thrown during a couple of scenes at a backwater police station, but this only serves to highlight that this film takes place in a "French Twilight Zone." Certainly, co-productions always force upon us some actors sporting out of place accents. However, explanations, no matter how far-fetched, are given. Here, they are all out of place. This absurdity is so overwhelming that no explanations are given while developing (if that can be said) the characters. Who financed this folly? It is obviously as commercial a French film as they come. This folly is not the work of an eccentric "author." The producers must have suffered from temporary insanity, or were on vacation when this project was approved.

"Cinq minutes de detente" has weaknesses in the acting and sometimes looks like it was shot with the lowest string budget ever but it carries a very interesting screenplay. It starts like a Hitchcock "wrong man" type of movie but the protagonist (played by a good Jose Garcia) isn't "wrong" very long. The idea is great and the screenwriter makes things evolve from bad to worse in a very skillfull way. "Cinq minutes de detente" deserves to be remade with more means.