Summary
This film concerns a complicated love triangle involving a cop (Alex), a philosophy lecturer
(Marie) and a young student Juliette. The latter belongs to a group of organised
criminals, which, coincidentally, is headed by Alex's brother, Ivan. During a robbery
which goes badly wrong, Ivan is killed, and this has a profound impact on the relationship
of the three central characters.
Review
With its bizarre construction (relying heavily on out-of-sequence flashbacks), Les
Voleurs appears more like an intellectual exercise than a conventional passive cinema
experience. Whilst this can at times be frustrating for the spectator, the film
somehow manages to hold his or her attention, through a combination of good photography
and interesting characterisation. The only thing which mars the film is its sudden
ending, which leaves the impression that only half of the story has been told.
The film has some memorable scenes, notably Catherine Deneuve discussing philosophy with
a street criminal. It is not one of Deneuve's best performances, but her pairing
with Daniel Auteuil works well, although Auteuil is (yet) again playing a solitary middle
aged man who has difficulty getting a girlfriend.
© James Travers 1999
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