L'Ivresse du pouvoir
2006 Drama / Thriller
Credits
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Summary
Michel Humeau, the CEO of a large industrial group, is surprised when
he is taken into police custody and charged with embezzlement of
company funds. The investigating judge assigned to the case
is the formidable Jeanne Charmant-Killman, nicknamed The Piranha
because of her ruthless tenacity. In the course of her
investigation, Jeanne is struck by the enormity of what she uncovers,
and her own sense of power grows as she realises what is at
stake. Unfortunately, she is up against some even more powerful
opponents, and they have no intention of giving in to a mere lawyer...
Review
Despite the bold disclaimer offered at the start of the film, L’Ivresse du pouvoir is clearly a
pseudo-dramatisation of the Elf Aquitaine fraud case that came to trial
in a blitz of publicity in 2003 – the most notorious
political-industrial scandal seen in Europe since the Second World
War. The character played by Isabelle Huppert – the
cheekily named Jeanne Charmant-Killman – is closely modelled on the
magistrate leading the investigation on that case, Eva Joly, even down
to the fetching red gloves. Whilst it falls way short of the standard of Claude Chabrol’s better films, L’Ivresse du pouvoir does offer an interesting study on the corrupting nature of power and begs the question whether anyone can wield power without losing his sanity and/or his humanity. The main problem with this film is that it is neither a suspense thriller nor a realist political drama – it falls uncomfortably between the two and is consequently very unsatisfying, even though it is technically well made and tells an interesting story, albeit with too many digressions. Whilst there are some strong selling points – not least of which is another commendable performance from Huppert, in her seventh collaboration with Chabrol - the film’s lethargic pace, clichéd characterisation and incoherent narrative are unlikely to cause you to rush out and buy the DVD. © James Travers 2008 Write a review for this film... User Comments
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