This movie resonates with current political and social debates in France in complicated and perplexing ways because while it does an excellent job of richly depicting the difficulties that newcomers to France might face -- problems related to the administration, problems with language, problems with finding satisfactory housing, and jobs, all of which makes for a tense and very engaging opening hour or so of the film -- its portrayal of the housing projects in the suburbs of Paris, where our characters end up, isn't so praiseworthy. It resorts to a clichéd and problematic presentation of these places being little more than no-law / "no-go" zones, a contrived setting that ultimately contributes to what we felt was a disappointing and frustrating ending for a filmmaker as good as Audiard.
For a more detailed review of the film, please visit our eponymous web site.
For a more detailed review of the film, please visit our eponymous web site.