This is a fictional interpretation of an actual crime that sees newly promoted "Vivés" (Bastien Bouillon) take his team of Grenoble detectives to a small town to investigate a grisly murder. Walking home from a friend's house the previous morning, "Clara" (Lula Cotton-Frapier) is confronted by a stranger who throws a combustible liquid over her and then sets her alight. What the Police Justiciare have to work with is a ghastly sight. Their investigations quickly reveal no shortage of potential attackers. This girl had lived a "lively" life - unbeknownst to her parents - and her boyfriends ranged from the nerdy to the opportunist to the downright bad boy "Caron" (Pierre Lottin). Thing is, loads of suspects don't add up to loads of evidence and tempers amongst the team begin to fray as their lack of actual progress becomes frustrating, exasperating and personal. Although this has elements of a whodunit to it, it is essentially quite an interesting "fly-on-the-wall" style drama that illustrates the difficulties faced by an under-resourced team of officers who cannot but become involved in the heinous crimes they must try to solve. This film looks quite intensely at their own personal relationships and is frequently peppered with some dark humour and with contrary views on the victim that occasionally make it difficult for an on form Bouillon to handle. Bouli Lanners is effective here as his passionate sidekick "Marceau" - himself having his own share of domestic disasters, and as the narrative pans out we, too, are offered nothing concrete in which to hope! I didn't love the ending scenarios. The casualness, desperation even, seemed to fly in the face of so much of their previously meticulous police-work, but the lead performance is good, the cinematography potent and this is definitely worth a watch.
38 Reviews
That's why we love independent movies
Nplus118 July 2022
On the surface "La nuit du 12" is a raw, powerful police drama, but it's layered with many social topics that give it a special kind of depth. Although constantly focused on the main case (shocking and inexplicable by the way - the stuff that "real horror" is made of) the movie manages to raise some fundamental debates about human behavior, love, fear, marriage, domestic abuse, sense of duty, etc.
To me it feels kind of like "Roubaix, une lumière", but keeping a more general or "abstract" approach.
Based on a real case and the experiences of the French judicial police, the movie is raised to another level by some stellar performances from basically the entire cast, a very solid experience that leaves a mark on the viewer. Highly recommended!
To me it feels kind of like "Roubaix, une lumière", but keeping a more general or "abstract" approach.
Based on a real case and the experiences of the French judicial police, the movie is raised to another level by some stellar performances from basically the entire cast, a very solid experience that leaves a mark on the viewer. Highly recommended!
Realistic police investigation
happytrigger-64-39051729 July 2022
A new movie by Dominick Moll is to be seen, his movies being rich with surprising details. This night of the 12 is the police investigation about the violent death of Clara, a young woman who had love relations with real weird young men looking for dangerous sensations, as it often happens nowadays. Yes, the young people we see are not socially stable, most of them are real completely lost misfits. And it's quite frightening as Clara's parents are well established and happy together. This discomfort also happens in the police who has more and more difficulties to understand this new deranged society. And we understand how important are the methods for searching the unknown, and the judge played by Anouk Grinberg is important. In this realistic portrait of our modern society, the entire cast play wonderfully, with a special bravo to Bastien Bouillon as the determined police captain and Pierre Lottin as a frightening kind of hooligan.
Cul-de-Sac...
Xstal27 March 2023
A life is cruelly taken in the night, no opportunity to run, to flee, to flight, doused in something that is lit, the flames engulf, force to submit, while the killer watches on, they lose their fight. The police investigate, pursue their leads, turns out there's many might have done the evil deed, but the evidence is weak, no matter where or how they seek, the perpetrator's not been caught and remains free.
The frustrations of the police investigating the brutal murder of Clara are brought to light as they struggle to track down her killer. It's an engaging enough piece of filmmaking but I thought it just ran out of steam towards the end and you're left just as dissatisfied as the investigating officers at the conclusion.
The frustrations of the police investigating the brutal murder of Clara are brought to light as they struggle to track down her killer. It's an engaging enough piece of filmmaking but I thought it just ran out of steam towards the end and you're left just as dissatisfied as the investigating officers at the conclusion.
Drama on a velodrome loop
kino_avantgarde11 September 2022
Warning: Spoilers
Premiered in Cannes last year, La Nuit de 12 is the 7th feature film by German-Belgian director Dominik Moll. Being shot only in 34 days, it's a sucessful film noir holding the suspense for two hours without any agitation or cheesy pickup lines.
It's just clear in the opening credits, %20 of the murder cases in France go unsolved! Based on one example adopted from the original, the film does not mince its word against many units: Symbolic, the disruptions in the crime investigation process and financial impossibilities break the printer, leaving the cops drowning in paperwork. In a patriarchal world it's a man who commits a crime and another man tries to solve it at the same time, against a woman who is murdered only because she's a woman. Again, these male-cop detectives are forced to question and revise their values through traditional gender role stereotypes. Their own fragile world is added up to the complexity of the event, now they have no other choice but to repeat the same tour over and over in a velodrama. Although it rises some hope with "the female touch" added in, all possibilities through the exit eventually disappear; each man has killed Clara, but none of them are officialy guily. There's no other choice but to accept the result, we ride the bike out of the velodrama towards learned helplessness at the foot of the Savoyard mountains, still with the dream of a mystery flower.
It's just clear in the opening credits, %20 of the murder cases in France go unsolved! Based on one example adopted from the original, the film does not mince its word against many units: Symbolic, the disruptions in the crime investigation process and financial impossibilities break the printer, leaving the cops drowning in paperwork. In a patriarchal world it's a man who commits a crime and another man tries to solve it at the same time, against a woman who is murdered only because she's a woman. Again, these male-cop detectives are forced to question and revise their values through traditional gender role stereotypes. Their own fragile world is added up to the complexity of the event, now they have no other choice but to repeat the same tour over and over in a velodrama. Although it rises some hope with "the female touch" added in, all possibilities through the exit eventually disappear; each man has killed Clara, but none of them are officialy guily. There's no other choice but to accept the result, we ride the bike out of the velodrama towards learned helplessness at the foot of the Savoyard mountains, still with the dream of a mystery flower.
A really effective flick
guy_from_may_983 August 2022
When I first saw the trailer of this movie, I thought it would just be a typical and by the books thriller film. Safe to say that I was wrong.
The movie was able to keep me interested in general as the plot was immersive and really well put together. The film manages to be unpredictable at times and from the get-go it is creating a very tense and bittersweet ambience. It has been such a long time since a movie made me feel genuinely anxious and worried about characters.
The cinematography was amazing. This movie was shot in the region of Grenoble, a French city surrounded by mountains and they really used the landscapes to their advantage to create a beautiful and colourful movie. The scenery is sometimes breathtaking. Even indoors scenes were amazing.
The acting is great. From small appearance to main character, every actor gives a believable and strong performance.
Unfortunately the movie gets a bit tedious in the last 20 to 30 minutes with less rhythm and believable dialogues to me.
It is still an amazing thriller that keeps you gripped and intrigued for its vast majority. If the last 20 to 30 minutes were handled in a better way, I would give it an 8/10.
The movie was able to keep me interested in general as the plot was immersive and really well put together. The film manages to be unpredictable at times and from the get-go it is creating a very tense and bittersweet ambience. It has been such a long time since a movie made me feel genuinely anxious and worried about characters.
The cinematography was amazing. This movie was shot in the region of Grenoble, a French city surrounded by mountains and they really used the landscapes to their advantage to create a beautiful and colourful movie. The scenery is sometimes breathtaking. Even indoors scenes were amazing.
The acting is great. From small appearance to main character, every actor gives a believable and strong performance.
Unfortunately the movie gets a bit tedious in the last 20 to 30 minutes with less rhythm and believable dialogues to me.
It is still an amazing thriller that keeps you gripped and intrigued for its vast majority. If the last 20 to 30 minutes were handled in a better way, I would give it an 8/10.
Grim reminder of how many mindless crimes there are
jasha8923 June 2022
This movie follows a police crew trying to figure out a gruesome murder that happens for no obvious reason or motive.
The build up and atmosphere are great, keeping us engaged and wondering - who killed that young, charismatic girl? Acting is superb and the suspense keeps you on your toes till the very end with a climax that is adequate and realistic.
I am doing my best not to give away the whole plot or the ending so I'll just leave it at that.
Really worth checking out.
9 out of 10 from me.
The build up and atmosphere are great, keeping us engaged and wondering - who killed that young, charismatic girl? Acting is superb and the suspense keeps you on your toes till the very end with a climax that is adequate and realistic.
I am doing my best not to give away the whole plot or the ending so I'll just leave it at that.
Really worth checking out.
9 out of 10 from me.
At the heart of violence and police.
axapvov12 May 2023
French filmmakers are the kings of realistic cop films. Here's another story of a detective haunted by a difficult case. The resolution is spoiled in the very first credits, so the expectations are clearly set from the start. That doesn't make the investigation process any less interesting, with good characters, good dialogues and an enthralling pace that resembles the drifty focus of a detective working overtime.
It had me glued to the screen. Then, suddenly, after some timely reflections on male violence, several female characters appear out of nowhere and become the ones with the good ideas, the initiative, the answers, the ones in control of their emotions... it's not subtle at all. There are several allusions to the ineffective police work of male detectives specifically. At first it didn't bother me because the script is intelligent, on the whole, and not at all the usual Hollywood schmaltz, but this abrupt shift in content, tone and style is off-putting, the narrative becomes blatant, as if it was written by someone else. These scenes are added to the more or less fictionalised account of real events, I don't know, it certainly feels like something "added" to find a solution to the plot.
This does not affect the point they're making though, it's a strong one, presented here as in no other film I know of, with a case that speaks for itself. At the heart of the violence there is also a place for the police, and they're both full of men. It elevates the film, regardless of one's opinion on the late, abrupt loss of subtlety.
It had me glued to the screen. Then, suddenly, after some timely reflections on male violence, several female characters appear out of nowhere and become the ones with the good ideas, the initiative, the answers, the ones in control of their emotions... it's not subtle at all. There are several allusions to the ineffective police work of male detectives specifically. At first it didn't bother me because the script is intelligent, on the whole, and not at all the usual Hollywood schmaltz, but this abrupt shift in content, tone and style is off-putting, the narrative becomes blatant, as if it was written by someone else. These scenes are added to the more or less fictionalised account of real events, I don't know, it certainly feels like something "added" to find a solution to the plot.
This does not affect the point they're making though, it's a strong one, presented here as in no other film I know of, with a case that speaks for itself. At the heart of the violence there is also a place for the police, and they're both full of men. It elevates the film, regardless of one's opinion on the late, abrupt loss of subtlety.
A case"like the others" at the PJ
AvionPrince1615 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
I really enjoyed the film despite the dramatic events and the murder of Clara Royer who dies tragically because she is burned alive by her criminal who we will not find even at the end of the film unfortunately. An end that I find quite sloppy like the investigation that was chosen to be told. Overall the film talks about violence against women and crimes in general. We meet people suspected of the murder of Clara Royer but no evidence will incriminate anyone: only false leads or alibis that prove their innocence. The characters are also endearing and their dialogues clearly immerse us in the case. What to say? Except that the investigation is at a standstill and that the PJ for lack of means and time cannot really discover more or because of the procedures. Shocking though that the stories told are based on real facts described in a book. The film is sometimes funny and dramatic at the same time: we have the reality of the crimes and the reality of the lives and personalities at the PJ. The most complex character remains Yohan because he is the only one who changes from the beginning (person who opens up a little and who rides a bike not on the road) and until the end (a more open person, especially towards the different female characters in the film) even if it remains superficial. I also thought that his relationship with Marceau was funny, complementary despite the difficulties that Marceau encounters because he finds it harder and harder to do the job. I found the film authentic and it is neither more nor less than 2 hours in their company in this affair. A film that I still recommend.
Nope
treywillwest28 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"La Nuit du 12" has widely been compared to David Fincher's "Zodiac" and it is not difficult to see why. Both films detail investigations into murderous crimes that the audience knows from the outset were never solved. However, the two films draw distinctly different implications from this shared scenario.
"Zodiac" used its anti-catharsis as a launching point for a study of the unknowability of evil, and how its mystery can destroy even lives it does not directly touch. The murder at the heart of "La Nuit du 12" is unsolvable because it is all too comprehensible. The young woman who is burned alive while walking home from a party comes to seem the victim not so much of any one killer but of social patriarchy, or at least deeply intrenched misogyny.
I wouldn't call director/co-writer Dominik Moll's film feminist, for one thing all of the key characters are men, and rather macho ones at that. But this is definitely an anti-patriarchal work. The cop-characters, male inquirers into social "truth" seem unable to articulate a positive statement of fact other than that the order they uphold is not only unjust but also dysfunctional and ineffective. As they interview the victim's former partners they realize that any of them could be the killer simply because of the ways men relate to women, which comes to force the characters to confront the necessarily sexist paradigms through which they themselves try to comprehend the victim's behavior.
"There is something amiss between men and women" is the only conclusion the lead character can come to after a year long investigation, a realization that acknowledges a lack of comprehension as much as the attainment of any. The patriarchal mind cannot adequately contextualize even itself, much less its other. "It's a man's world," utters one of the few featured female characters and it seems a lament more than an observation as if she were asking "Why still? How much longer?"
The film's final scenes struck me as a shade too brightly optimistic for what is generally a very dark work. However even these scenes pay tribute to a secondary character who comes to seem the only one who makes a positively assertive act throughout the narrative: this character grows so sick of the film's patriarchal world that they refuse to be depicted within it any longer.
"Zodiac" used its anti-catharsis as a launching point for a study of the unknowability of evil, and how its mystery can destroy even lives it does not directly touch. The murder at the heart of "La Nuit du 12" is unsolvable because it is all too comprehensible. The young woman who is burned alive while walking home from a party comes to seem the victim not so much of any one killer but of social patriarchy, or at least deeply intrenched misogyny.
I wouldn't call director/co-writer Dominik Moll's film feminist, for one thing all of the key characters are men, and rather macho ones at that. But this is definitely an anti-patriarchal work. The cop-characters, male inquirers into social "truth" seem unable to articulate a positive statement of fact other than that the order they uphold is not only unjust but also dysfunctional and ineffective. As they interview the victim's former partners they realize that any of them could be the killer simply because of the ways men relate to women, which comes to force the characters to confront the necessarily sexist paradigms through which they themselves try to comprehend the victim's behavior.
"There is something amiss between men and women" is the only conclusion the lead character can come to after a year long investigation, a realization that acknowledges a lack of comprehension as much as the attainment of any. The patriarchal mind cannot adequately contextualize even itself, much less its other. "It's a man's world," utters one of the few featured female characters and it seems a lament more than an observation as if she were asking "Why still? How much longer?"
The film's final scenes struck me as a shade too brightly optimistic for what is generally a very dark work. However even these scenes pay tribute to a secondary character who comes to seem the only one who makes a positively assertive act throughout the narrative: this character grows so sick of the film's patriarchal world that they refuse to be depicted within it any longer.
Heartbreaking and gripping
norbert-plan-618-71581323 April 2023
Dominik Moll's talent is no longer to be demonstrated. Only The Animals (2019) was an impressive film with its dramatic structure and rich story. Here with The Night Of The 12th, the dramatic line of the film is more direct, traditional. With a femicide, the investigation, the suspects, the cops and their problems. The film is embodied by its characters, that is to say by its actors who give the required forms, first of all, to the policemen with Bastien Bouillon all in power, Bouli Lanners rather in nominal mode (he makes the same character in many films), but also and especially the complementary actresses, all of them characters who exist and bring a lot of emotions in a natural way. This natural way gives a documentary patina to the film, which we imagine well documented.
The tone of the film, all in objective description of the reality and emphasizing the human nature, is what makes the film exciting in spite of its subject, dark, just like the photography of the film. In particular this photography is dark and grainy. It embodies the climate, the darkness, the horrific fact, and the dark story, especially in the content of the end and the frantic search for the culprit very difficult to identify.
The crime film is dramatic, as is this story when we learn how this story ends. Moreover, one of the challenges of the film is to revive it with the character of the judge played by Anouk Grinberg. A character that did not exist before in the film, but that makes it even more hypnotic.
The tone of the film, all in objective description of the reality and emphasizing the human nature, is what makes the film exciting in spite of its subject, dark, just like the photography of the film. In particular this photography is dark and grainy. It embodies the climate, the darkness, the horrific fact, and the dark story, especially in the content of the end and the frantic search for the culprit very difficult to identify.
The crime film is dramatic, as is this story when we learn how this story ends. Moreover, one of the challenges of the film is to revive it with the character of the judge played by Anouk Grinberg. A character that did not exist before in the film, but that makes it even more hypnotic.
Strong Caesar winner with some ZODIAC vibes
gortx1 September 2023
On the surface, this French Best Picture Cesar Award winner appears to be a straight police procedural about a case of a young woman brutally killed on her way home from a girl's night out. Dominik Moll's (WITH A FRIEND LIKE HARRY) adaption of Pauline Guera's non-fiction book about a true case changes the setting from Paris to Grenoble in the French Alps (Gilles Marchand collaborated with Moll on the script). Taking the story out of the hustle and bustle of the big city gives the movie more of an intimate flavor.
The two main cops on the case are a crusty older policeman Marceau (Bouli Lanners) and the younger new head of the squad, Yohan (Bastien Bouillon). The murder victim, Clara (Lula Cotton-Frapier), at first seems like a typical 21 year old - happy and well-liked. As the investigation continues they discover that she had a series of risky encounters with various guys. As more and more men are revealed, the more vexing the case becomes for instead of narrowing the potential pool of suspects, it widens them.
The frustration makes Marceau increasingly edgy. He is going through his own relationship issues and tarts to crack, lashing out at the potential killers. Yohan on the other hand, becomes more introspective, more intense. While many in the department and the public begin pointing the finger at the victim, Clara, Yohan feels more and more protective of the dead woman. It all increases his obsession with the case - and Clara's memory and reputation.
The decision to move the location to a smaller town is a wise one. Not only does it allow a more personal touch, it virtually eliminates the notion that it was some random killing as you would have in a metropolis like Paris. Everybody knows everyone in the area, but they seem oblivious about what secrets are happening all around them. Lanners and Bouillon are very good, as is Pauline Sereiys as Clara's best friend. Later on, two strong women characters, a Judge (Anouk Grinberg) and a fellow police officer (Mouna Soualem) enter the investigation and buttress Yohan's compulsion for the case.
NIGHT OF THE 12TH is a strong and disturbing drama. It may not satisfy those who want easy answers, but it realistically shows the frustrations inherent in police work and reality that justice isn't a guarantee for all.
The two main cops on the case are a crusty older policeman Marceau (Bouli Lanners) and the younger new head of the squad, Yohan (Bastien Bouillon). The murder victim, Clara (Lula Cotton-Frapier), at first seems like a typical 21 year old - happy and well-liked. As the investigation continues they discover that she had a series of risky encounters with various guys. As more and more men are revealed, the more vexing the case becomes for instead of narrowing the potential pool of suspects, it widens them.
The frustration makes Marceau increasingly edgy. He is going through his own relationship issues and tarts to crack, lashing out at the potential killers. Yohan on the other hand, becomes more introspective, more intense. While many in the department and the public begin pointing the finger at the victim, Clara, Yohan feels more and more protective of the dead woman. It all increases his obsession with the case - and Clara's memory and reputation.
The decision to move the location to a smaller town is a wise one. Not only does it allow a more personal touch, it virtually eliminates the notion that it was some random killing as you would have in a metropolis like Paris. Everybody knows everyone in the area, but they seem oblivious about what secrets are happening all around them. Lanners and Bouillon are very good, as is Pauline Sereiys as Clara's best friend. Later on, two strong women characters, a Judge (Anouk Grinberg) and a fellow police officer (Mouna Soualem) enter the investigation and buttress Yohan's compulsion for the case.
NIGHT OF THE 12TH is a strong and disturbing drama. It may not satisfy those who want easy answers, but it realistically shows the frustrations inherent in police work and reality that justice isn't a guarantee for all.
a fictional ...
ops-5253512 March 2023
Heinous crime commited in the central alps area, with well known city names and mountain peaks from the cyclismic orgie called tour the france, sets the scheduele for the murder investigators at the county gendarmerie. A semi barbeeqd young woman is found in the park, and the story follows the real headbanging search for the culprit...
there are some daft weak moments within these 110 minutes, where they are shall not be spoiled, and i can assure you its definately not due to bad acting, because the cast is real prima creme frech. The breathtaking scenic views done by the filmographer is of high value to this production, unusually sharp and a sightseers dream.
The producers of this ,,a case i never forget'' ambitions has been leveled a bit higher than the time and means, i wonder if they thought this to be a 3-4 part mini tv-serie just because...
but the editors edge is sharp, the lack of background musical score in parts of the movie grinds your senses doubleedged and the acting is good. Therefore a starshot in the air from the grumpy old man, its a recommend.
there are some daft weak moments within these 110 minutes, where they are shall not be spoiled, and i can assure you its definately not due to bad acting, because the cast is real prima creme frech. The breathtaking scenic views done by the filmographer is of high value to this production, unusually sharp and a sightseers dream.
The producers of this ,,a case i never forget'' ambitions has been leveled a bit higher than the time and means, i wonder if they thought this to be a 3-4 part mini tv-serie just because...
but the editors edge is sharp, the lack of background musical score in parts of the movie grinds your senses doubleedged and the acting is good. Therefore a starshot in the air from the grumpy old man, its a recommend.
Strong start, runs out of steam
anthonyjlangford5 March 2023
We have a typical murder mystery underway but leads run cold and so does the story.
Instead of taking the story up and into new directions or at least with some progression, it becomes bogged down in it's own meandering pacing. It's as though the film dies halfway through.
What's really irksome is that modern American moralizing has now reached Europe. What the entertainment consistently fails to address is that on average, 70% of homicide victims are male.
One character says, 'There is something wrong between men and women.' No, there is something wrong with lazy, uneducated scriptwriters who tell stories based on impressions and clichés rather than doing any simple research into crime statistics.
It continues on throughout the second half of the film, which is the same area where the pacing becomes overly sluggish. The 'messaging' overrides the story and the journey of the characters. Very disappointing.
Europe has largely avoided American style clichés, but this is not a good sign. Please be more original. Black Box was an excellent recent French film, as an example. Europeans have long done their own thing. May it continue. Please.
Instead of taking the story up and into new directions or at least with some progression, it becomes bogged down in it's own meandering pacing. It's as though the film dies halfway through.
What's really irksome is that modern American moralizing has now reached Europe. What the entertainment consistently fails to address is that on average, 70% of homicide victims are male.
One character says, 'There is something wrong between men and women.' No, there is something wrong with lazy, uneducated scriptwriters who tell stories based on impressions and clichés rather than doing any simple research into crime statistics.
It continues on throughout the second half of the film, which is the same area where the pacing becomes overly sluggish. The 'messaging' overrides the story and the journey of the characters. Very disappointing.
Europe has largely avoided American style clichés, but this is not a good sign. Please be more original. Black Box was an excellent recent French film, as an example. Europeans have long done their own thing. May it continue. Please.
the killing is so well done
christopher-underwood12 November 2023
It is fine and even though maybe it begins to run out of steam towards the end, at the start the killing is so well done and it is so terrible that we are thrilled for most of the film. David Fincher is never really too happy for us to know what is going on and even the ending is maybe not as we expect. Especially with Zodiac (2007) even when we know it is not going to have a happy or even an unhappy ending and maybe it is like this as well. Even with Se7en (1995) we do not really get the ending we want and it is certainly with this one. I'm not sure about the detective who has to go cycling round and round or the older guy who is going through a marriage breakdown. The cinematography is rather good and we love to see Grenoble and the mountains even if the police work starts to get a little uninteresting.
Great start but poor continuation.
Majkati2 March 2024
The beginning was so good and definitely a more unique approach to a murder on the street than your average American flick.
It kept you going with interesting characters, wondering which one of them could be the killer since they all seemed like possible choices. But then that's all it was to it. More suspects and no leads.
I know it's supposed to be a mystery that will remain unresolved but it just felt very underwhelming without a proper ending and the second half of the movie was dragged out and could've been made into an hour and a half.
Keeps your focus while you watch but it's nothing special at all.
It kept you going with interesting characters, wondering which one of them could be the killer since they all seemed like possible choices. But then that's all it was to it. More suspects and no leads.
I know it's supposed to be a mystery that will remain unresolved but it just felt very underwhelming without a proper ending and the second half of the movie was dragged out and could've been made into an hour and a half.
Keeps your focus while you watch but it's nothing special at all.
La nuit du 12
Wordwhisperer9 April 2024
This was a pretty good movie. The acting was good, the script, not so much. It had a good start, plenty of mystery to keep you guessing like a good policier. Slowly, the movie got to another level, a more social one, with the investigation in the background.
The social issues, although are worth mentioned in movies, as they are all around us, kind of ripped the movie in two. We got the abuse or domestic violence (against women), we got the life artist that can say anything about anyone with no repercussions, we got the eternal problem: why is this world run by men? Why do men hate women? And so on, in a world when women have more rights than any other period of the history.
The social issues, although are worth mentioned in movies, as they are all around us, kind of ripped the movie in two. We got the abuse or domestic violence (against women), we got the life artist that can say anything about anyone with no repercussions, we got the eternal problem: why is this world run by men? Why do men hate women? And so on, in a world when women have more rights than any other period of the history.
Convincing story
hoogmeulen-085408 January 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A thriller usually ends with a solved case. Not here. It is clearly stated at the beginning. Nevertheless the story of a violent murder on a young woman and the search for the killer is brought to life in a concincing way. You feel what the policemen feel for the suspects, their hopes ejem they find new clues, it' s a tough job. Emphasis on the personal lives of the team-members and het the story stays with you. Interesting observations of the main characters, as the victims best friend. Men kill women and investígate their murders..... clearly cold cases have to be reinvestigated because we owe it to the victims. I really liked this movie.
A police procedural of uncommon wit and subtlety
Mengedegna26 May 2023
In its bones, this is a police procedural of a pretty classic sort, albeit with an overlay of social awareness, But it's done with enough style and restraint to make it a very satisfying example of the genre, in an excellent French tradition that goes back to Quai des Orfèvres and the outstanding 2005 film Le Petit lieutenant, to name just those. It involves a group of cops from the Grenoble branch of France's Police judiciaire, the equivalent of the criminal-investigation side of the FBI (vs. The latter's national-security functions, which are handled elsewhere). The P. J. takes over from the local police or (in this case) the gendarmerie, in really tough and complex investigations, as it does in the real-life murder case that is re-enacted here. Operating in tandem with an investigating magistrate, it has, as is demonstrated here, awesome investigative powers.
Not that they are of much use in this frustrating case, where, as the chief investigator points out, any of a whole range of suspects could easily have been the murderer of an attractive, charismatic young woman as she returns home on foot from an evening with her pals, even though there's no convincing evidence against any of them. It's no spoiler to say that the case, which eats away at the investigators, remains unsolved -- we're told this before the film even starts. So there are no triumphs of police work, and all seeming breakthroughs lead nowhere, all of which gives the film unusual texture. The agents are smart, determined, well-trained, and sensitive, and the film is as much about how they deal (not always well) with the limitations they come up against as it is about the more explicit, and perhaps overemphasized, theme of male abuse of women.
Some of the usual tropes of the genre are present. There are tensions within a group of policemen (the one woman appears later, to welcome effect) of contrasting personalities, with arguments over procedure and over basic philosophies, and there's a digression into the marital difficulties of one of them, Marceau, played powerfully by the Belgian actor Bouli Lanners. All this is handled with uncommon deftness and understatement. Add to this the spectacular mountain scenery of the Grenoble area, and La nuit du 12 drew me in and held me.
Much of the film is carried on the shoulders of the strikingly youthful lead investigator, Capitaine Yohann Vivès, played very convincingly by relative newcomer Bastien Bouillon, for whom I hope this will be a breakthrough. Both the character and the actor himself are given tough assignments. In the actor's case, the screenplay calls for him to communicate via long silences, during which he is required to react through only the subtlest shifts of expression, something he does remarkably well. He's also very convincing in his handling of the smart, slangy dialogue that the excellent screenplay assigns to him. Not all the sharp wordplay can make it into the subtitles, but the laughter around me this evening made it seem like not that much is lost, either.
So: La Nuit du 12 may not be a great classic for the ages, but, for its thoughtfulness, its wit and sincerity, and some very fine acting by all concerned, it is a very satisfying entertainment.
Not that they are of much use in this frustrating case, where, as the chief investigator points out, any of a whole range of suspects could easily have been the murderer of an attractive, charismatic young woman as she returns home on foot from an evening with her pals, even though there's no convincing evidence against any of them. It's no spoiler to say that the case, which eats away at the investigators, remains unsolved -- we're told this before the film even starts. So there are no triumphs of police work, and all seeming breakthroughs lead nowhere, all of which gives the film unusual texture. The agents are smart, determined, well-trained, and sensitive, and the film is as much about how they deal (not always well) with the limitations they come up against as it is about the more explicit, and perhaps overemphasized, theme of male abuse of women.
Some of the usual tropes of the genre are present. There are tensions within a group of policemen (the one woman appears later, to welcome effect) of contrasting personalities, with arguments over procedure and over basic philosophies, and there's a digression into the marital difficulties of one of them, Marceau, played powerfully by the Belgian actor Bouli Lanners. All this is handled with uncommon deftness and understatement. Add to this the spectacular mountain scenery of the Grenoble area, and La nuit du 12 drew me in and held me.
Much of the film is carried on the shoulders of the strikingly youthful lead investigator, Capitaine Yohann Vivès, played very convincingly by relative newcomer Bastien Bouillon, for whom I hope this will be a breakthrough. Both the character and the actor himself are given tough assignments. In the actor's case, the screenplay calls for him to communicate via long silences, during which he is required to react through only the subtlest shifts of expression, something he does remarkably well. He's also very convincing in his handling of the smart, slangy dialogue that the excellent screenplay assigns to him. Not all the sharp wordplay can make it into the subtitles, but the laughter around me this evening made it seem like not that much is lost, either.
So: La Nuit du 12 may not be a great classic for the ages, but, for its thoughtfulness, its wit and sincerity, and some very fine acting by all concerned, it is a very satisfying entertainment.
While watching the left hand, what is the right up to?
Sparky-string12 May 2023
Warning: Spoilers
The Night of the 12th is not a horror film like I thought it might have been. It is a voyage of discovery, for the characters as well as the viewer. We get the tagline "It is said that every investigator has a crime that haunts them, a case that hurts him more than the others, without him necessarily knowing why. For Yohan that case is the murder of Clara." It suggests that the murder remains unsolved, but since it is delivered in the midst of the film those of us taking it in hold out hope for a resolution, for the crime to be solved.
There are very real characters in this movie smartly delivered by a well chosen cast. They show us real life. A woman is murdered by being burned to death, the masked killer choosing to throw a flammable liquid on the victim on a dark night- the 12th, then setting it and her ablaze. Our protagonist is a newly appointed chief detective investigating the case who initially finds no culprit despite a thorough investigation. We rejoin him and his fellow detectives three years later where a judge prompts him to pick up the case again just prior to the 3rd anniversary of the murder.
We are convinced the movie is abut the murder case, but when the end delivers no guilty party we are forced to recognize that all along the movie was about other themes. At one point our protagonist comes to the realization that there is something very wrong with the relationship between men and women. Later one of the new underling detectives, when asked about the motivation for her choice of police work shares that, as James Brown put it, 'it's a man's world'. That men do both most of the murdering, and the solving of murders.
This case that haunts our lead effects his daily actions and choices; it restrains him from moving on with his life in ways outside of the case. In one of the final scenes of the movie the new underling detective says she is unafraid of ghosts, and that while the dead remain among us they are the impetus for the good deeds we do. This brings great comfort to our lead man and allows him to move on from the constraints placed upon him by the unsolved mystery.
The murder case was only the setting for the real story, which was rising above these self-imposed psychological restraints, the flower our man finds among the dead weeds.
There are very real characters in this movie smartly delivered by a well chosen cast. They show us real life. A woman is murdered by being burned to death, the masked killer choosing to throw a flammable liquid on the victim on a dark night- the 12th, then setting it and her ablaze. Our protagonist is a newly appointed chief detective investigating the case who initially finds no culprit despite a thorough investigation. We rejoin him and his fellow detectives three years later where a judge prompts him to pick up the case again just prior to the 3rd anniversary of the murder.
We are convinced the movie is abut the murder case, but when the end delivers no guilty party we are forced to recognize that all along the movie was about other themes. At one point our protagonist comes to the realization that there is something very wrong with the relationship between men and women. Later one of the new underling detectives, when asked about the motivation for her choice of police work shares that, as James Brown put it, 'it's a man's world'. That men do both most of the murdering, and the solving of murders.
This case that haunts our lead effects his daily actions and choices; it restrains him from moving on with his life in ways outside of the case. In one of the final scenes of the movie the new underling detective says she is unafraid of ghosts, and that while the dead remain among us they are the impetus for the good deeds we do. This brings great comfort to our lead man and allows him to move on from the constraints placed upon him by the unsolved mystery.
The murder case was only the setting for the real story, which was rising above these self-imposed psychological restraints, the flower our man finds among the dead weeds.
Hamfisted message and poorly written character
erosyte2 October 2022
So the movie paces well enough until the middle of the second act, where characters start being jerks for no real reason ( or at least reason which is properly shown and justified to the viewer) and insert a hamfisted message about all men being murderers.
Suspects just hide things from the police and act erratically to create mystery and suspence ( which is fine to a certain degree), when they realistically they would just do those things in a normal way.
Main characters act and say things just to create drama amongst themselves when realistically they would just mumble to themselves and carry on with their day.
The movie feels like it has no real purpose other than to tell you that bad things happen sometime, and it's kinda men's fault. ( I'd agree with the message told if there were a bit more substance to it) There is little to examine with more depth than that, as a stone faced investigator chugs along an investigation with no real clues, and no resolution.
Suspects just hide things from the police and act erratically to create mystery and suspence ( which is fine to a certain degree), when they realistically they would just do those things in a normal way.
Main characters act and say things just to create drama amongst themselves when realistically they would just mumble to themselves and carry on with their day.
The movie feels like it has no real purpose other than to tell you that bad things happen sometime, and it's kinda men's fault. ( I'd agree with the message told if there were a bit more substance to it) There is little to examine with more depth than that, as a stone faced investigator chugs along an investigation with no real clues, and no resolution.
Overall excellent, if a smidgen rough around the edges
I_Ailurophile13 April 2024
I won't beat around the bush: I like this, and I see much to admire in it. Some aspects are notably stronger or weaker than others, however, and not everything fits together perfectly; I don't think the overall impact is perfectly robust. I see why the picture earned such acclaim from some corners, not to mention many nominations and awards. I'm just not sure that I entirely agree with that perspective, for it's only in bits and pieces that I see the glimmers of greatness that would mark it as thusly deserving. Heavily emphasizing the point, there comes a discrete point when 'The night of the 12th' ('La nuit du 12') rather abruptly gels in a way it hadn't before, starting with a fragment of one scene that hits far harder than anything else in these two hours, and following through to the end with tighter writing than we got at any other time. That discrete point, however, is at almost exactly the time when there are twenty minutes left in the total runtime. I can name no few other titles that similarly found their best strength in the last stretch; on the other hand, other such titles haven't won multiple prominent awards for Best Film.
There are terrific ideas in the screenplay, a credit to filmmaker Dominik Moll and co-writer Gilles Marchand as they adapt Pauline Guéna's book. The core investigation is deeply interesting, and I repeat that the back end finds a burst of vitality that pointedly feels much sharper and more affecting than the preceding length. As part and parcel of the primary thread of the investigation the feature also explores the frustrating drudgery of police work, with leads that turn out to be dead-ends and a surfeit of waiting, watching, talking, and recording. Hand in hand with this, moreover, is an extra shrewd element of secondarily examining the personalities of these police investigators at different stages of their lives and careers. There's the fresh-faced rookie, idealistic and hopeful; the embittered veteran, struggling to maintain composure and all but at the end of his rope; in the middle, beyond youthful optimism and yet free of wizened cynicism, lies protagonist Yohan - knowledgeable, experienced, concentrated, and determined. Other supporting figures among their coworkers are a mixture of faceless workers and chuckleheads, and later we meet a newcomer whose resolve seems to exceed Yohan's. All these central storytelling notions provide a firm foundation for all else that 'The night of the 12th' is or could be.
The writing is also the source of my biggest criticisms, however. Chief among these is that the script further tries to touch upon the terrible truths of gender dynamics where violence and crime and concerned. Some characters question the nature of the relationships between men and women, with men committing the vast majority of crimes; other characters despairingly observe that women are commonly the victims, and the victims are blamed in spirit if not in letter as their private lives are scrutinized and judged. These are important matters to touch upon, but wherever scenes and dialogue do so in this instance the result is sadly clunky and unconvincing, in part as if Moll and Marchand had difficulty finding a way to weave them into the script. There's also the issue of how characters are written in general, for while the individuals that the police question are rather unlikable, so are no few of the investigators themselves; even those that are most honest and earnest in their profession stumble into lines of questioning that come across as disproportionately aggressive and badgering. With that in mind I suppose one could argue that one thing this flick has going for it, despite centering police, is that it does NOT specifically fall under the colloquial umbrella of "copaganda," but it me it feels more that we as an audience are nevertheless intended to be cheering for these cops who don't necessarily deserve our respect.
As one last criticism, I would suggest that not all the odds and ends fit together flawlessly, including even the core elements noted above. I think this comes down to the pacing of the plot development, for in my estimation we're forty-five minutes into the viewing experience before there comes a beat that especially commands our attention. Except in fits and starts, and again with the last twenty minutes being foremost, the storytelling at large comes off as a little soft, and less than perfectly grabbing. Alongside some choices of editing that I think are unfortunate, that softness every now and again results in a juxtaposition of components that is a half-step away from being parodying, which is the precise opposite intent of the movie. Suffice to say that there are some rough edges, and on the basis of these my own esteem of the whole falls a tad short.
Be all this as it may, when all is said and done this is very worthwhile, with a great deal more to appreciate than to lament. I repeat that the writing at its best is excellent, and Moll's direction as he orchestrates shots and scenes; I very much adore Moll's 2011 work 'The monk,' and when 'The night of the 12th' is firing on all cylinders I see the same keen mind at work. This is well made in most regards, really, from production design and art direction, to hair, makeup, to cinematography, and sound design. With a couple exceptions I'm a big fan of Olivier Marguerit's score, a varied and dynamic panoply of themes that do a fine job of capturing the mood and bolstering the tension of the proceedings. In fact, setting aside those last twenty minutes to which I keep returning, Marguerit's music might outshine the splendid root ideas in terms of broad value - and I would say the same of the acting. It's not that anyone gives an utterly revelatory performance, but every single actor is solid; even as some stand out above others in the casting, there are select moments scattered throughout that grab our attention extra hard. From those stars of the most prominence, Bastien Bouillon and Bouli Lanners, to those in smaller supporting parts like Mouna Soualem, David Murgia, and Pierre Lottin, all are marvelous as they embrace the somber spirit of the project and breathe life into their roles and scenes, and I'm very pleased with how good the acting is.
I'd be lying if I said that this didn't in some measure fall shy of my expectations; there are just enough areas of trouble that I can't bring myself to fully stand by the high regard it has otherwise garnered. All the same, for the level on which this film operates, such words are more about semantics than substance. Faults and all 'The night of the 12th' is overall a fantastic crime drama, and I think anyone who appreciates the genre will find much to love here. Recommended above all for anyone with a major impetus to watch, this is well worth checking out if you have the opportunity.
There are terrific ideas in the screenplay, a credit to filmmaker Dominik Moll and co-writer Gilles Marchand as they adapt Pauline Guéna's book. The core investigation is deeply interesting, and I repeat that the back end finds a burst of vitality that pointedly feels much sharper and more affecting than the preceding length. As part and parcel of the primary thread of the investigation the feature also explores the frustrating drudgery of police work, with leads that turn out to be dead-ends and a surfeit of waiting, watching, talking, and recording. Hand in hand with this, moreover, is an extra shrewd element of secondarily examining the personalities of these police investigators at different stages of their lives and careers. There's the fresh-faced rookie, idealistic and hopeful; the embittered veteran, struggling to maintain composure and all but at the end of his rope; in the middle, beyond youthful optimism and yet free of wizened cynicism, lies protagonist Yohan - knowledgeable, experienced, concentrated, and determined. Other supporting figures among their coworkers are a mixture of faceless workers and chuckleheads, and later we meet a newcomer whose resolve seems to exceed Yohan's. All these central storytelling notions provide a firm foundation for all else that 'The night of the 12th' is or could be.
The writing is also the source of my biggest criticisms, however. Chief among these is that the script further tries to touch upon the terrible truths of gender dynamics where violence and crime and concerned. Some characters question the nature of the relationships between men and women, with men committing the vast majority of crimes; other characters despairingly observe that women are commonly the victims, and the victims are blamed in spirit if not in letter as their private lives are scrutinized and judged. These are important matters to touch upon, but wherever scenes and dialogue do so in this instance the result is sadly clunky and unconvincing, in part as if Moll and Marchand had difficulty finding a way to weave them into the script. There's also the issue of how characters are written in general, for while the individuals that the police question are rather unlikable, so are no few of the investigators themselves; even those that are most honest and earnest in their profession stumble into lines of questioning that come across as disproportionately aggressive and badgering. With that in mind I suppose one could argue that one thing this flick has going for it, despite centering police, is that it does NOT specifically fall under the colloquial umbrella of "copaganda," but it me it feels more that we as an audience are nevertheless intended to be cheering for these cops who don't necessarily deserve our respect.
As one last criticism, I would suggest that not all the odds and ends fit together flawlessly, including even the core elements noted above. I think this comes down to the pacing of the plot development, for in my estimation we're forty-five minutes into the viewing experience before there comes a beat that especially commands our attention. Except in fits and starts, and again with the last twenty minutes being foremost, the storytelling at large comes off as a little soft, and less than perfectly grabbing. Alongside some choices of editing that I think are unfortunate, that softness every now and again results in a juxtaposition of components that is a half-step away from being parodying, which is the precise opposite intent of the movie. Suffice to say that there are some rough edges, and on the basis of these my own esteem of the whole falls a tad short.
Be all this as it may, when all is said and done this is very worthwhile, with a great deal more to appreciate than to lament. I repeat that the writing at its best is excellent, and Moll's direction as he orchestrates shots and scenes; I very much adore Moll's 2011 work 'The monk,' and when 'The night of the 12th' is firing on all cylinders I see the same keen mind at work. This is well made in most regards, really, from production design and art direction, to hair, makeup, to cinematography, and sound design. With a couple exceptions I'm a big fan of Olivier Marguerit's score, a varied and dynamic panoply of themes that do a fine job of capturing the mood and bolstering the tension of the proceedings. In fact, setting aside those last twenty minutes to which I keep returning, Marguerit's music might outshine the splendid root ideas in terms of broad value - and I would say the same of the acting. It's not that anyone gives an utterly revelatory performance, but every single actor is solid; even as some stand out above others in the casting, there are select moments scattered throughout that grab our attention extra hard. From those stars of the most prominence, Bastien Bouillon and Bouli Lanners, to those in smaller supporting parts like Mouna Soualem, David Murgia, and Pierre Lottin, all are marvelous as they embrace the somber spirit of the project and breathe life into their roles and scenes, and I'm very pleased with how good the acting is.
I'd be lying if I said that this didn't in some measure fall shy of my expectations; there are just enough areas of trouble that I can't bring myself to fully stand by the high regard it has otherwise garnered. All the same, for the level on which this film operates, such words are more about semantics than substance. Faults and all 'The night of the 12th' is overall a fantastic crime drama, and I think anyone who appreciates the genre will find much to love here. Recommended above all for anyone with a major impetus to watch, this is well worth checking out if you have the opportunity.
Best crime drama of the 21st century
dotQuestionmarkXclamationmarkDot11 February 2023
What an amazing synchronous film that had me at the edge of my seat from first minute. Characters are so realistically written and performed, plot is composed concerning the nowadays pulse of society, direction is captivating and proposes fruitful ideas according to the depiction of a police investigation (like the cutting edge realism of Sorogoyen does). How do the psychological blind alleys of the officers interfere with the procedures? Some murder cases remain evermore unsolvable as personal traumas does, which is always lurking to be replicated. Dominik Moll please make more movies like this or a crime series, your point of view is highly required to develop this over-glamorized genre further.
Moving noir Drama
Pairic7 April 2023
The Night of the 12th: French Noir crime film, i won't call it a thriller brcause it looks at the anatomy of a crime, the effect on the victim's family, her friends and also the suspects. Clara Royer (Lula Cotton-Frapier) was fatally set on fire by an unknown assailant as she walked home at nigh in the hills above Grenoble. T. None of the suspects are pleasant people, all of these men have bad attitudes towards women, some use domestic physical, emotional and mental abuse towards their partners, One of Clara;s friends Stéphanie (Pauline Serieys) points out to police Captain Yohan Vivès (Bastien Bouillon) that Clara is being judged because she had more than one boyfriend, how she really died because she was a girl. Yohan doesn't have such attitudes but members of his squad do, even though they are devoted to tracking down the killer. The prosaic details of the hunt, the false leads, the downbeat as a suspect is shown to be innocent of this crime, takes it;s toll on the team. Some have breakdowns. Yohan relieves the pressure through endless laps at a velodrome, going in circircles (or ovals rather) like the case. Intense performances by Bouillon, Serieys and Bouli Lanners as Marceau, Yohan's older, more experienced but volatile deputy. Important contributions come in the secod half of the film by Nadia (Mouna Soualem), Yohan's new assistant and Anouk Grinberg as the world weary investigating magistrate. No easy answers or solutions in this bleak examination of obsession, evil and misogyny. Director/Co-Writer Dominik Moll delivers an intriguing but disturbing drama based on a true case. 8.5/10.
Waste of time
freydis-e30 December 2023
This is a perfectly competent movie, apparently loosely based on real events (though we never know quite what that means). The acting, direction, camera-work, etc. Are all OK, but something more is needed in a story like this and it wasn't there.
A young woman is horribly murdered, there is no evidence at the scene and precious little useful information to be had from family and friends. With no leads, the police investigate her many former sex partners, each one more unpleasant than the last. You have to wonder how she managed to find such a succession of total creeps. This is a very male film. Apart from some hysterics from the bereaved mother and an interview with a best friend, it's men talking to other men almost all the way through. And it's a talky film.
The problem is, it goes nowhere. Along the road some very obvious questions are asked and answered, equally obviously. Does a woman deserve this because she dates lots of nasty men? - obviously not. Why is this all about men anyway? - because most murders are committed by men, as are most of the police who investigate them. Almost at the end there's a kind of postscript which is a bit more interesting, with a female detective and a female magistrate getting involved, but still it goes nowhere and there is never any kind of payoff.
What are movies for? Surely they should either entertain, or inform, or at least make you think. There's no entertainment in a subject like this and all the 'messages' were so obvious. We've seen all this so many times before in much better movies and no new angles here. I wasted my time and I wouldn't advise anyone to do the same.
A young woman is horribly murdered, there is no evidence at the scene and precious little useful information to be had from family and friends. With no leads, the police investigate her many former sex partners, each one more unpleasant than the last. You have to wonder how she managed to find such a succession of total creeps. This is a very male film. Apart from some hysterics from the bereaved mother and an interview with a best friend, it's men talking to other men almost all the way through. And it's a talky film.
The problem is, it goes nowhere. Along the road some very obvious questions are asked and answered, equally obviously. Does a woman deserve this because she dates lots of nasty men? - obviously not. Why is this all about men anyway? - because most murders are committed by men, as are most of the police who investigate them. Almost at the end there's a kind of postscript which is a bit more interesting, with a female detective and a female magistrate getting involved, but still it goes nowhere and there is never any kind of payoff.
What are movies for? Surely they should either entertain, or inform, or at least make you think. There's no entertainment in a subject like this and all the 'messages' were so obvious. We've seen all this so many times before in much better movies and no new angles here. I wasted my time and I wouldn't advise anyone to do the same.
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