La Promesse (1996)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne

Film Review

With La Promesse, the Belgian directors Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne paint a harrowing picture of teenage rebellion in the grimmest of situations.  With its naturalistic acting, rough editing and unsteady camera movements, the film has a documentary feel which, whilst disorientating at first, heightens the drama and conveys a shocking sense of realism.   The film's uncompromising presentation of the ill-treatment of illegal immigrants is unequivocally stomach-turning, drawing our attention to one the biggest social issues of our time.

Although the film has some obvious flaws (some of the acting looks false and stilted in places, and the film's low-key ending lacks any real sense of resolution), it is for the most part a captivating drama, with some genuinely poignant moments.   Jérémie Rénier's credible performance as the teenager Igor is particularly noteworthy, providing a likeable figure the audience has no trouble identifying with.   By contrast, Olivier Gourmet's Roger is truly loathsome creature, a vile slob whose humiliation near the end of the film is a pleasure to witness.

Film Synopsis

In the dismal suburbs of a Belgian town, Roger makes a sordid living by smuggling illegal immigrants into the country from Africa and then forcing them to work for a pittance on his construction projects.  Roger's 15-year-old son Igor sees nothing wrong in what his father is doing and willingly gives up his apprenticeship to assist him in his immoral trade.  One day, one of Roger's imported slaves, a man named Amidou, falls from a scaffold and extorts a promise from Igor to take care of his wife and baby before he loses consciousness.  Even though Amidou isn't yet dead, Roger cannot take the risk of him being found by the authorities and so he has him secretly buried, with Igor's help.  He then plans to have Amidou's wife shipped back to Germany before she can cause any further trouble by making enquiries into her husband's disappearance.  Remembering the promise he made to the injured man, Igor finds he has no choice but to turn against his father and do what he can to help the unfortunate woman and her child...