L’Incruste (2004) - film review

Swindler and serial liar Paul is looking for his next squat when he happens across Alexandre, a young musician.  The latter is living in an apartment belonging to his friend Christophe, who is at present in Africa.  Seeing an opportunity too good to resist, Paul persuades Alexandre that he is Chistophe’s cousin, so Alexandre has no option but to allow Paul to move in with him.  It soon becomes clear that something is wrong, and Christophe’s sudden unexpected appearance looks set to expose Paul’s deceit...

This first film from directors Alexandre Castagnetti and Corentin Julius begins well enough, a pleasing variant on the kind of "buddy movie" that has become popular in France in recent years.  Alas, after an entertaining twenty or so minutes, it suddenly becomes clear that ideas are in short supply.  By the film’s mid-point L’Incruste has lost much of its charm and thereafter it becomes a little tedious and unconvincing.  An implausible thriller plot strand is introduced at the point when the film has clearly run out of steam and the last third of the film is pretty much a tired rehash of old ideas.  The film’s main selling point is the surprisingly effective pairing of Titoff (a well-known stand-up comedian) with Frédéric Diefenthal.  Despite weaknesses in both the script and the direction, both actors succeed in making the film watchable and, to some extent, enjoyable.

© James Travers 2006

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