Le piège d'Issoudun

Micheline Lanctôt is not your average overproductive director. When she works on a script, she does it seriously, and doesn't let it down until she's satisfied. Mostly an actress over the last ten years, she came back as a director with LE PIÈGE D'ISSOUDUN.

Set over the course of one quiet winter day, it begins with a sober but shocking scene, after which a torn mother tries to kill herself on the highway, but fails as she gets pulled over by a cop. What could have been a simple routine task for the cop soon evolves into a weird relationship; when he sees that the lady's visibly disturbed, he tries to help her and understand what's going on.

Intersped with scenes from a Grimm play that deals with matricide, this movie is built in a subtle tone, and its contemplative nature adds a certain beauty to the "horror" of the initial situation. Frédérick De Grandpré and Sylvie Drapeau are well chosen for this dramatic duel, cast as the father & mother that are both separated from their children in different ways.

This is in no way a "family" movie, but it's powerful and dramatic, and deserves to be seen.