Love Crime (2010) User Reviews

She was capable of killing. But not for love.

[lastliberal-853-253708 · 7/10 · 1 February 2012]

Having watched Sweet Karma earlier tonight, I don't know if I was in the mood for two revenge movies, but this is very different.

A favorite of mine, Kristin Scott Thomas (The English Patient, Four Wedding and a Funeral) stars with another fave, Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool, 8 Women). They are number one and two in a multinational's Paris location. Christine Thomas) is not above stealing the ideas of Isabelle (Sagnier) to get transferred to New York.

This was director Alain Corneau's last film, and it has already been picked up for a remake by Brian DePalma coming out this year. It is rumored that Rachel McAdams (Sherlock Holmes, Red Eye) and Noomi Rapace (the original Lisbeth Salander) will star.

After Christine threatens and humiliates Isabelle, she plots her revenge. Needless to say, it is an elaborate plot. I can't say anything more or it will spoil the film for you.

It had me on the edge of my seat in the second half.

Women take the lead in this complex thriller, but leave your disbelief at the door

[chaz-28 · 5/10 · 10 October 2011]

Rare for a mysterious thriller set in the high stakes business realm, Love Crime (Crime d'Amour) is dominated by women with the men relegated to paltry supporting roles. Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas) is on the fast track to the elite tier of her international business firm as chief of their Paris office. She is confident, sexy, knows how to work the room, and has complete faith in her subordinate Isabelle (Ludivine Sagnier). Not only is Christine a business mentor to Isabelle, she also assumes the role of life coach, close confidant, and in a few moments, possible temptress.

Isabelle is also on the fast track but is severely overshadowed by the extroverted Christine. She has original ideas which win the firm big clients but Christine will frequently claim those ideas as her own to help her case for promotion. Christine does not necessarily view this as the immoral thing to do. She is the boss and ideas flow to the top. Plus, any success merited to Christine will naturally help Isabelle's career; however, Isabelle must never forget who is truly in charge.

While attempting to prove herself outside of Christine's shadow, Isabelle sparks a feud between the two careerists with drastic consequences. So begins an intricate chess match of hints, allegations, innuendo, and dramatic backroom conversations. Christine attempts to squash her former protégé back into obscurity and Isabelle maneuvers to step into her own spotlight subverting her malicious boss.

If you have a weakness for 'who dunnits' or intricate true crime methodologies, then Love Crime is your guilty pleasure come true. However, if you have only passing interest in the above mentioned genre, then you can take or leave this film. The script is sharp, the acting is a pleasure to watch, and the intense, hushed French conversations will keep you immersed, but there is not much more to it.

Isabelle's relationship with Christine reminded me a bit of the earlier Ludivine Sagnier role in Swimming Pool, but instead of Charlotte Rampling, this time you get a much more assertive Kristin Scott Thomas. There are also direct reminders of The Business of Strangers with Stockard Channing and Julia Stiles.

Sagnier redeems herself in this audience member's eye from her disastrous work in The Devil's Double. While that was a good film, her character and acting drastically impacted its plausibility. Plausibility is also a factor here in Love Crime. There are overreactions you would never see in reality but the intricate follow through in the malevolent details make up for a good portion of disbelief.

Survival of the sickest

[sergepesic · 7/10 · 28 January 2013]

Large, spacious offices with magnificent views, a cluster of seemingly enviably successful business people.Everything is elegant and stylish, clothes and furniture. Almost like a perfect place on earth. But, this is corporate world, thickly populated with useful sociopaths, the lucky ones that made their pathology not only acceptable, but highly profitable. Well, good for them, but not so good for us. Their ruthless and efficient lunacy, transformed our world into new gladiator arena. Survival of the sickest. No room for compassion or decency. Hence the famous mantra of the demonic new ruling class. It's not personal, it's business. Dangerous saying for dangerous times. A permit to maim and slaughter all who are less deserving, and that's everybody, except themselves.Because who works harder doing nothing useful as this coven of warlocks and witches. New horror for the new era.

Showcasing Ludivine Sagnier

[harry_tk_yung · 7 May 2011]

SPOILERS !!!

About a year ago, I watched another movie about a initially harmless girl turning homicidal – Amanda Seyfried in Atom Egoyan's "Chloe". "Love Crime" shares some similarities, but there are a lot of differences. For one thing, it's in French.

Many critics fault this movie for the almost idiotic simplicity in depicting corporate warfare, in the relationship between a rising protégé (Ludivine Sagnier as Isabelle or "Isa") and an appreciative mentor (Kristin Scott Thomas as Christine) turning sour. I think they are missing the point. The movie makers did not want to waste time or energy on the background, but focused on the two protagonists. The story might have just easily taken place as academic rivalry in a university campus, for instance.

The criticism that the multi-front rivalry (work and lover) and public humiliation (a coup disguised as harmless sense of humour) should not be enough to provoke murder holds more water. Not even the desire to remove an obstacle on getting ahead is sufficient motivation. If real life is like this, corporate head-hunters will be having a field day searching for executive replacements. But again, I proffer the same argument: the movie makers just want to bring about a murder, illogical as the cause may be.

So what's the point? This is not whodunit suspense. The narrative style is one of omniscient point of view. As an audience, you are along with the perpetrator for a ride all the time. The fun is in seeing (and sometimes guessing) how she uses the "self-framing" trick (think "The wrong man" but in that movie the audience is in the dark and are in for a big surprise, unless they are really smart) to get away with murder, literally. And there is even more fun is in her reverse-framing gambit to get even with the spineless lover. But there is one final, albeit very small twist: you may be smart, but there is always someone else watching.

The two stars get equal billing, at least in the posters but Thomas is really just a support with a big part. She is killed just a little past the mid point of the movie, which brings me back to my summary line. If you have watched Sagnier in Francois Ozon's "Swimming Pool" (2003) acting opposite Charlotte Rampling, you'll remember how good she was in portraying these psychological duels and in holding her own against a calibre actor.

Two acting powerhouses.

[Rockwell_Cronenberg · 6/10 · 4 October 2011]

As someone who firmly believes that Ludivine Sagnier and Kristin Scott Thomas are two of the finest actresses working today in any country, watching them go head-to-head against each other was obviously something I was going to be looking forward to. When it came to Love Crime, the story lacked a little bit of punch but seeing them go at it wasn't disappointing in the least. Both women are at the top of their game here, with Thomas taking some inspiration from Glenn Close in a very cold and cerebral Patty Hewes-esque role while Sagnier expertly utilizes her skill for vulnerability and sexuality.

I was hoping the whole thing would pack some real heat, so I was disappointed that it was a lot more slow-moving than I thought and wasn't as thrilling as something like this should be, but that's not to say that it didn't keep me interested throughout. The concept was pretty unique for this kind of film and it's hard to get into without bordering on spoiler territory, but I was very curious as to how the events were going to unfold. It felt like you knew what the endgame was, but seeing how the story got to that point was very intriguing. At the end of the day though, the film is all about being able to watch these great talents bounce off each other, with slightly less impact than I was expecting.

Another Great French Thriller

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 24 April 2014]

In Paris, Christine Rivière (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a tough executive of a French corporation. Her assistant Isabelle Guérin (Ludivine Sagnier) is an intelligent and cunning young woman needy of love and affection. When Isabelle is assigned to travel to Cairo with the lawyer Philippe Deschamps (Patrick Mille) to show her project, her idea is successful and Isabelle and Philippe have one night stand. Back in France, the senior management in the headquarter in Washington congratulates Christine for the project and she does not give the credit to Isabelle. Soon she notes that the manipulative Christine is using her to climb in the corporation. When her secretary Daniel (Guillaume Marquet) shows another project from Washington, Isabelle proposes improvements but does not show them to Christine. They have a meeting with the American executives and Isabelle is congratulated by them. Christine begins a war and humiliates Isabelle first using Philippe that has embezzled a large amount and is in her hands and then in a party. Isabelle plots a scheme and kills Christine at home. However the calculating Isabelle leaves many evidences in the crime scene incriminating herself and does not have an alibi.

"Crime d'amour" is another great French thriller with a good story of ambition, ingratitude and revenge. The two lead actresses, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier, are wonderful and their duel is engaging. The theme, competition in a corporation, is a reality and the viewer will certainly identify characters with real real coworkers or ex-coworkers. The conclusion shows how dangerous is the secretary Daniel. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Crime de Amor" ("Love Crime")

Two Fine Actresses

[[e-mail] · 7/10 · 31 March 2012]

Apart from saying that this movie is about competition between two ambitious female executives, I don't plan to get into the plot. The strength of the movie lies in the performances of the principals, Kristin Scott Thomas as the ruthless senior executive, and Ludivine Sagnier as her imaginative young assistant. Ms. Scott Thomas, English born but a long-time resident of France, seems to appear in an unending stream of British, French and American movies. This an unusual role for her but she is an accomplished actress and carries it off with her usual skill. The younger Ms. Sagnier is also splendid in an equally demanding part. Eventually, "Love Crime" becomes an intricately plotted murder mystery which, at least for me, is unconvincing. But I enjoyed the ride.

A perfect crime of passion; but the passion is revenge

[JohnRayPeterson · 7/10 · 9 December 2011]

This movie is another fine example of why I like French Movies. The movie is a psychological thriller and it has a brilliantly planned and executed murder for revenge. Let me start by saying that watching a film with two women executives fighting the traditional men's games was an original idea that some audiences, especially in America might not appreciate as much as audiences familiar with foreign/Euro movies; that's too bad because there is such a wealth of talent there that America has been missing out for years. Hollywood is slowly now using that talent, not only in the use of actors, but cinematography and action choreography. I digress. The two lead roles, Christine and Isabelle, played respectively by Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier are well done and directed. Scott Thomas has played a role of ruthless executive in another movie I enjoyed immensely, the 2008 movie 'Largo Winch'; you must see that movie (click on IMDb 'Jrlock' author link to see my review of it). Anyone familiar with her work knows to watch her movies; I've seen many French movies she's played in and I'm a fan, not just of her English speaking roles.

Ludivine Sagnier is no new comer; she has an extensive filmography I've only recently been paying attention to. Her range of character performances is not limited; in recent reviews of mine, she is mentioned not just in passing. In this movie, she takes a second position to that of Scott Thomas, but not for long. As much as Christine was ruthless and cunning, Isabelle displays identical traits only developed as the character takes shape before a surprised audience. I absolutely loved the murder plot and scheme Isabelle devised to clear herself. I won't spoil the movie any more by giving further hints or details; that's where you can have fun. The ending scenes were very smart and will have you shaking your head in admiration. I resisted using the 'tough love' pun as my movie summary but couldn't resist inserting it here; you'll have to see the movie to get this pun.

Hell

[kosmasp · 8/10 · 26 December 2010]

Someone who says that only men are capable of cruelty has not watched this movie. A fine example of cruelty and a very good movie (with very good actresses as well). I won't spoil anything about the story or the characters, but I can tell you that it is more about the road than the ultimate goal. It isn't very hard to see where this is heading and you might also see what it achieves to do.

Still very well made and executed with the mentioned central performances that are just amazing. The women go head to head (with different style and results of course), which might be enough for you to not see the obvious flaws. It was as you can see and read, enough for me.

Gotta Love "Love Crime"

[RockPortReview · 7/10 · 3 April 2012]

A brilliantly acted modern French thriller is one way of describing director Alain Corneau's latest film "Love Crime (Crime d'amour)". Starring Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier as executive and assistant at a big corporate conglomerate. Scott Thomas plays the brutally ruthless and manipulative Christine, while Sagnier is Isabelle the young and beautiful assistant. (aka fresh meat).

Christine has Isabelle take her place on a business trip to Cairo along with the attractive Phillipe. Before long they're having torrid affair, but when Phillipe breaks it off and Christine takes credit for all of Isabelle's work, the cat and mouse game of revenge begins. The story and plot are heavily structured and things have to happen as it's written to make everything else happen. I'm not all that familiar with the French legal system, but there are a few instances when something has to happen for the story to move forward and it doesn't matter how improbable it seems.

When Christine publicly humiliates Isabelle in front of the all of the executives at a party, this is the last straw and Isabelle plans an executes an even more brutal plan. After another get together at Christine's house, Isabelle dressed in a white overall stabs her to death but leaves clues to implicate herself. At first viewing this seems kind of odd but its all apart of her elaborate plan. The evidence is seemingly overwhelming and Isabelle is sent to prison. With the help of her sister and friendly co-worker Daniel, Isabelle puts the other half of her plan into motion. The acting by these two women really pushes this film to more that just your average thriller.

To put it in Hollywood terms its "The Devil Wears Prada" meets "The Perfect Murder". Eventually everything happens as it should and her masterful plan is complete. The road up the corporate latter is pretty brutal and leaves its share of victims along the way both literally and figuratively. Who ever wants it more and is willing to sell out their very soul will become that more rich and that more powerful. "Love Crime" is currently available on Netflix watch instantly.

Terrible, boring and flat.

[sylvestre4 · 3/10 · 31 August 2010]

Corneau has been good. But this! I don't know where to start. Sagnier and the main guy are really terrible actors (at least in this movie), KSC has been better, and the plot is predictable as hell (and this story rang a bell, deja vu?). The way people are described at work is ridiculous : (looks at a 10-page file for 4 seconds) "mmmmh... interesting!" Yeah, right. What a brain! I felt that the behavior, clothing, of these executive people were very caricatural. Music is good, Asian-influenced jazz, and used only at two key moments, which I found appropriate.

I don't know if it's because of the acting or the plot, but I never got into this film, which I even found involuntarily funny at least twice.

Don't waste your time on this. I'm sorry Corneau's last film ever was so bad.

a psychological thriller about an actual subject

[wvisser-leusden · 9/10 · 19 August 2010]

'Crime d'amour' (= French for 'crime out of love') is a psychological thriller, a qualification lent from the world of books.

Just as with the books, the plot really makes the strength here -- fascinating you from beginning to end. This film's first half an hour is used to introduce you to its main personalities, thereafter its story really develops.

'Crime d'amour's theme is a very actual one: showing the mechanisms in the top of the French branch of an American food concern. Greed, bonus-hunting and dedication to prestige are all around, reducing the people involved to tools of their ambition. The main characters only act nice to others, only have dinner or sex with each other, when such behavior is instrumental to their goals. Of course they do not have any consideration with the weak or less privileged among us, and mercilessly drop colleagues they cannot use anymore. In sharp contrast this film also shows a scene of a happy family-life with young children.

The plot really makes the strength here, I said. For the rest, 'Crime d'amour's shooting and acting show competent without being outstanding.

Greed, Control, Domination, Revenge

[gradyharp · 7/10 · 30 August 2012]

Alain Corneau wrote (with Nathalie Carter) and directed this little French thriller about the extremes to which people will go to maintain their goals - and the spatter of mess they leave behind on everyone who comes into contact with them. Despite a fine cast of actors this story is one in which the audience simply doesn't care about anyone involved. Bad things happen to bad people, and that concept is taken to extremes.

Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas) is a wealthy corporate executive in Paris who makes international deals through her brainy cunning. Her protégé is the equally bright but less world-wise Isabelle (Ludivine Sagnier). At times it appears that Christine wants to be in a relationship with Isabelle but at the same time Christine has a lover Philippe (Patrick Mille) who works for her and who incidentally is also sleeping with Isabelle. Games are played; Christine takes credit for Isabelle's ideas in a manipulative way to gain a position in the US. Two tigers cannot in the same environment survive and Isabelle carefully plots the murder of Christine: we see Isabelle stabbing Christine to death. After the murder Isabelle, in an apparent drugged state, confesses to the murder and is sent to jail. But the story is far from over as Isabelle's brilliant and now criminal mind knows how to manipulate this predicament as well as Christine would have had the tables been turned.

Despite the fact that both Kristin Scott Thomas and Ludivine Sagnier are both extraordinarily beautiful women and superb actors, neither is a character with whom we can empathize much less care. Yes the plot is a brilliant Hitchcock type story and the film, though it drags in many places, is very well made. But in the end we are left in an emotional vacuum. Where is the love of the title?

Grady Harp

Save your time

[mikeolliffe · 1/10 · 4 January 2012]

The writer/director wastes the time of everyone involved in this film, and everyone who mistakenly watches it. I know I indicated spoilers lurk within this review, but I'll try to avoid the more obvious ones.

In real life, we know that everyone is just about capable of everything. A trivial incident can send one person into a rage. In our films, however, we want more plausibility. We are able to sense when a character is not psychologically true.

If we accept that our protagonist is an intelligent, capable businesswoman, we must be provided with extremely good reasons for that character to go off the rails.

The film-makers are decidedly cynical when they inject quasi-Lesbianism for box-office returns.

They should instead have tried reading 'Business for Dummies' because it appears they know next to nothing about business life. (A smart person would know that to extensively humiliate a younger colleague in public, someone she herself had been mentoring, would reflect negatively on herself.)

I hope the actresses involved get some decent material to work with. Soon.

Vixen versus Vixen - What fun!

[LovePythons · 27 September 2011]

Kristen Scott Thomas shines in one of her best roles ever, all in flawless French. She is a no-holds-barred executive who will do anything to get ahead, include mistreat her bright young assistant, Ludivine Sagnier. In fact, Miss Thomas actually enjoys twisting the screws on the young woman who had considered her a mentor and benefactor.

Finally, of course, the boss goes too far and the balance of power begins to shift. Our lovely assistant behaves oddly and we fear she is descending into a crippling depression. But wait! Before you grab a Zoloft, notice her errand to ask a favor of her sister, consider the file she keeps locked up that no one else knows about, and figure why she disguises herself to go to the movies.

What makes the film so fascinating is the clever move/countermove screenplay that provides tantalizing hints increasing scullduggery. The two female leads play beautifully off each other and the hapless men that get in their way are interesting in their own right.

Not a whodunit, Love Crimes is more of a what's-she-gonna-do that should keep you on the edge of your seat. I loved every maniacal minute of it!

Sexy v Sexy

[killercharm · 6/10 · 23 October 2021]

I liked this enough to give it a positive review but only just. The story is well and prettily told but the hook doesn't hold up enough. Her story just isn't believable. A love crime against one sexy female lover perpetrated by the other sexy female lover.

Must watch for Suspense lovers

[sankhan99 · 7/10 · 5 October 2013]

Though ratings and views of this title are quite low on IMDb but as a fan of French thrillers I thought to give it a try and it lived up to my expectations. As usual another underrated and much ignored suspense thriller on IMDb. My intuition leads me to the fact that mostly suspense thrillers are rated by comedy lovers on IMDb which result in low ratings. Because of this quite good movies get ignored.

Plot of this movie is very tricky. A simple situation is turned into complex one with the passage of time. I am quite satisfied with its pace and doesn't bored me at all.

Acting from both leads is fantastically good. Both are well chosen for their respective roles and actresses also have done justice with it. Director is good as well.

Baseline is that "Don't relay on ratings and see it yourself ". It will turned out to be 90 odds minutes spent well.

The Very Slow Pace Kills the Suspense.

[3xHCCH · 6/10 · 18 July 2012]

"Love Crime" is a story set in a firm with a tense conflict between two of its top female executives. Unscrupulous boss Christine (Kristen Scott-Thomas) steals credit for a big project by her idealistic assistant Isabelle (Ludivine Sangnier). Christine never would have imagined the lengths "naive" Isabelle would go to in order to turn the tables on her ruthless boss.

As European films go, the pace is very slow. It was so slow that you can already see the predictable ending within the first half hour of the film. It was interesting to see how Isabelle plotted and executed her revenge, but it just took to long to tell the story. The extremely dull acting style of Ludivine Sangnier as Isabelle is so sleepy! She practically had one wide-eyed face during the whole film.

I sought this film out because it will have an American remake entitled "Passion" by no less than master of suspense Brian de Palma, starring Rachel McAdams and Noomi Rapace. I look forward to that to see how de Palma could improve the lackluster story-telling of "Love Crime."

The Love Bug'll Get You If You Don't Watch Out

[writers_reign · 6/10 · 11 January 2013]

For the first couple of reels this is little more than Mike Nichol's 'Working Girl' with a French accent then Corneau subtly changes gear and ups the ante. To be honest I would have wished Corneau a better swansong than this. The film he made immediately prior to this - a genuine remake of Melville's Le Deuxieme Soufflé - was flawed and one longed for him to get back to the great days personified by Police Python 357. I've always had an aversion to Ludo Sagnier just as she long had an aversion to working with her clothes on (ironically, this time around she even coyly pulls a sheet around her to get out of bed) the truth of the matter is she's just that that much of an actress naked or fully clothed. No matter, Kristin Scott Thomas is well up to the task of carrying Sagnier - and most everyone else too, if anybody asks you. It's pleasant enough though the twists are not so much turns of the screw as rotations of a thumb-tack. Good for one viewing.

Corneau's last film: a competition between lady business executives

[vanderveldenton · 10/10 · 16 August 2010]

French director Alain Corneau (who, alas, died a week after the premiere of this last movie of his and who also made the sublime 17th century music drama "Tous les matins du monde") managed to get 2 class actresses for the main roles here in this French-language movie, Kristin Scott Thomas (Christine Riviére) and Ludivine Sagnier (Isabelle). Christine is quite believable as manager of the Paris branch of a multinational (fake name, Barney Johnson, but mainly shown on their office paper) in product strategies for food, perfectly cast here as business woman. The main offices are in America (New York and Washington, so there are some English dialogs with executives from these offices, very short) and we see Isabelle going to Cairo (although surely not filmed there). She is not so believable as being the 2nd in command. I was not so aware of her having such high position until a Japanese delegation wants a picture with the 2 top managers of this firm (her and Christine). The work environment is quite unbelievable,just designer office rooms with a desk on which you almost don't see them doing anything and in the meetings they are in, nothing is discussed, only showing the ends of these meetings. But this movie is about the power struggle between these 2 and who they use and abuse for their purpose of getting to the top (Christine is aiming at a job in the head office in New York). This is the best part of the movie. Isabelle is extremely fanatical about her work, which means everything to her, she has no friends (as Sagnier said in a Dutch interview). This hard-working Isabelle does the best work but Christine claims it as having been hers on 3 occasions. Isabelle both admires (loves) and hates Christine. Christine says at one point that she loves Isabelle. Both have a love-affair with the same colleague, who at a certain moment is being blackmailed by Christine, much to the disgust of Isabelle. It all turns wrong when Christine shows security camera pictures of Isabelle having gotten angry and having a car accident in the garage and humiliates her in front of all their colleagues at a party, where she already felt uncomfortable, not talking with anyone. Christine meant it as a joke, she said, but her degrading remarks to Isabelle show otherwise. The rest of the movie is all about Isabelle's quite-clever-or-not revenge, which I won't reveal here (one can find more than enough about that already). It's all not terribly surprising or great cinema, but it is an entertaining thriller which grips you from beginning to end, despite some incredibleness. I think money is well spent on going to this movie, especially if you're a fan of Kristin Scott Thomas, who speaks excellent French and is great here, as usual. 104 minutes, some flashbacks in black and white. If you liked "La Tourneuse de Pages", this comes close, at least in the beginning. I have seen it twice now (2 pre-premieres) and must say the beginning remains fascinating, whereas the second part becomes weaker the more you see it, but it still is an ingenious detective plot, a tribute to this much too young deceased (67) film-maker.

Flat but effective

[quevaal · 6/10 · 11 August 2021]

I thought the movie was somewhat flat. Both the acting and production, so at least in the beginning I wasn't sure if it was worth watching. Once the conflict was established it got more interesting and the short scenes drove the plot forward quickly. Summed up, I think the business, police and legal side was the most interesting aspect while if you want believable erotic tension you may find more of it in a cup of tea.

So obvious it's cringeworthy...

[movies-by-db · 3/10 · 29 August 2015]

Damn, this started out great, with two devilishly sexy women feeling each others boundaries, and just as you think it's going to get steamy the man walks in and spoils not just the scene but the whole movie.

It really went belly up from there. I don't know where it all went wrong, I guess in the directorial department. I was really disappointed by the acting of most involved, especially Ludivine Sagnier. Which was strange, as I've seen her do way better in other productions. Here she either has a blank stare or a very irritating way of overacting, none believable sobbing and laughable death stares directed at her senior college, Kristin Scott Thomas. Thankfully KST does play acceptable but I guess that's her experience and the fact she's just an allout great actress. Most of the male actors are also rubbish. To me this just reeks of lousy direction.

Now the story. While played out quite nicely, is at the same time just way to simple. Without going into detail, it's all laid out to see and then later on, everything gets explained as well. The changes Sagnier's character goes through are so obvious it's sometimes almost cringeworthy. The suspense there is to be found, which is really hardly any, has no impact whatsoever if a character is just not believable and just does another, however sexy, blank stare into nothingness.

No, I love French cinema for it's edge, realism, great acting and storytelling, but none of these are to be found here 3/10

Frantic sex between two lonely hearts.

[davidtraversa-1 · 8/10 · 18 January 2012]

I enjoyed this movie very much, as I usually enjoy French movies, whether they are comedies or dramas. The look of this film is impeccable, all interiors are exquisitely designed and of top quality as is the photography and the lighting, as perfect as they can get nowadays. The acting is superb and the pacing flawless. I just found among the dubious happenings, a most obvious flaw: Anyone will see immediately that a piece of cloth that was cut quite sharply with an Exacto knife, will get a sharp edge, a look totally different from a piece of the same fabric torn by accident, like getting the fabric caught on a nail or any sharp corner, accident that will practically destroy the edge of that fabric, leaving it completely unraveled. To me that is the most flagrant mistake in the whole script. Otherwise an excellent movie, quite absorbing and entertaining.

The rare case of a remake improving upon the original movie

[gridoon2024 · 6/10 · 2 October 2022]

"Crime d'Amour" (2010) was remade two years later by Brian De Palma as "Passion"; it could be partly because I saw "Passion" first, but I do think it is the more entertaining film. Alain Corneau is an arthouse director making a thriller, keeping it clinical and dry; Brian De Palma is (primarily) a thriller director making a thriller, embracing the lurid side of things and having fun with it. The script is also more streamlined in "Passion"; after a very similar (sometimes scene-for-scene) first half, it morphs into a whodunit. In "Crime d'Amour", the "who" is revealed instantly, and as a result the second half drags (one slip-up by De Palma, which was done correctly in the original, was having Christine write the incriminating e-mail BEFORE and not after Isabelle's public humiliation, something that could be easily checked). This film is still worth seeing, however, mainly for Ludvine Sagnier's superb showing. **1/2 out of 4.

Daytime melodrama

[legibbo · 4/10 · 15 March 2020]

I'm a big fan of KST but this is a turkey. The characters are mostly caricatures and the script is laughable - even KST and Sagnier can't do much with it. The the party scene with the 'Life Lessons' video is ludicrously overplayed, like something out of a daytime soap opera. Sad last effort by Corneau.