Un illustre inconnu

This film is excellent. Bizarre and suspenseful, with beautiful cinematography, a gripping story and excellent acting. I had a feeling that it would be good when I saw that Matthieu Kasovitz (director of La Haine) was involved.

Not very believable, but... excellent performances all around. Even the child actor is excellent, and the two leads are fantastic. Supporting cast is also very good. Bizarre story, but definitely not derivative, not the same old thing!

If you are a fan of French cinema, or European films in general, it's worth a look. It is quite slow, especially in the early stages, but if you are patient, the pace and plot pick up quite a bit.

Sometimes an idea can be overwhelming and the weight of it might crush the whole movie underneath it. Other times it just might be the right director and actor doing that stuff with a script that is tight and lean (and mean of course). This is one of those times. It's not easy to watch at times, especially because of the blandness of the main character. But this is a deliberate method/tool and it's supposed to feel that way for the viewer.

Indeed some may feel that there are not enough emotions in this and that's I reckon a fair criticism. It's more a movie for the head, if you want to call it that. But what it does with your head, especially concerning the twists and the whole "Who am I?" identity thing that is going on ... It's superb execution and it really had me at the edge of my seat!

Engrossing (if slightly overlong - the first 30 minutes are essentially just a dress rehearsal for the rest) little thriller with an award-caliber chameleonic performance by Mathieu Kassovitz; this must be one of the acting highlights of his career. Smartly presented ending. *** out of 4.

This film is excellent. Bizarre and suspenseful, with beautiful cinematography, a gripping story and excellent acting.