Gangsters

Richard Anconina and Anne `Nikita' Parillaud are starring in this picture by former police officer and actor Olivier Marchal who scripted and directed it. `Gangsters' tells the story of an undercover agent who tries and finds out who are the 2 corrupt inspectors involved in a robbery. On one hand, there are very realistic moments where you can see that the director used to work for the police himself – when the disillusioned policemen talk about their low wages, smoke too many cigarettes, treat suspects unfair, there are shades of grey everywhere, just like in real life. On the other hand, the film has a few moments of pure cliché, for example when the investigators secretly meet in a nightclub – just for the sake of the sleazy red light and the topless dancers in the background. We have seen this too many times before.

Nonetheless, this is a thrilling action story, because it's very condensed (a crime happens, the suspects are interrogated, final conflict). Not too simple and straight, though, because there are many sudden flashbacks in between. The movie is mercilessly revealing human weaknesses, and employing magnificent actors. Voted 8/10.

Richard Anconina was the main problem in this movie, which already provided Marchal's trademark: rogue cops scheme, razor sharped dialogues and directing. Yes, Anconina was the black cat of this movie, as he was for Alain Corneau's LE MÔME, back in 1985. He is not a bad actor, no, but in this feature, he is midcasted. The story is interesting mostly in the last part, really surprising. This not my favourite from him however, but for a first film, this is jaw dropping. Gerald Laroche's character name is Jansen; I guess a tribute to Yves Montand's one in Jean Pierre Melville's LE CERCLE ROUGE. Olivier Marchal is openly inspired by the French film noir master, who owned Rue Jenner's studios.