The British critics haven't been very kind to this one which is a great pity. Okay, no one's talking masterpiece here, but nevertheless it is a very fine film in a genre we've seen quite a bit of lately from France, i.e. a film based on real people who inhabit violent worlds. If I were reviewing it for people with a limited attention span I'd describe succinctly as Mesrine with Real Acting. This is because, for one thing, leading man Jean Reno actually has a genuine acting RANGE, that spans out-and-out comedy (Les Visiteurs), comedy-drama (Tais-Toi) and even Rom-Com (Decalage Horaire) whereas Vincent Cassell is merely a thug who makes a handsome living playing himself under various pseudonyms. As if Reno were not enough we have Jean-Pierre Darroussin, one of the finest actors in current French cinema who has also distinguished himself as a fine director, Kad Merad, an excellent light comedian here extending his range and playing against type and Marina Fois, amongst the finest actresses currently working in France. Director Richard Berry has 98 acting credits on his CV and this is his fifth outing behind the camera and he begins the movie beautifully with a long, elegaic sequence as ex-hood Reno drives leisurely into Marseilles with his small son. Though we know that there are 22 bullets with his name on them at the end of the ride we are happy to suspend our disbelief so effective is Berry's direction. If you like, for example, the work of Olivier Marchal (36, Quai des Orfevres) then you'll surely like this one which shows up Mesrine for the merde it is.
Review of 22 Bullets
