Film Review
Les Savates du bon Dieu is an unsettling blend of melodrama, thriller and black
comedy. It begins as what looks like a familiar social drama and within fifteen
minutes it is heading off in a completely different direction, becoming more bizarre by
the minute. Whilst this is certainly a fresh and surprising approach to cinema,
the novelty value soon wears off, and the impression that emerges is that this is actually
a clumsy attempt to blend two very different films.
The first film is a continuation of the realist drama with which the film opens and involves
Fred's developing relationship with a former girlfriend Sandrine. The
second is a totally off-the-wall comedy thriller which is anything but realistic, involving
comic book gangsters and a seemingly omniscient African prince. Whilst either of
these strands of the film might have worked well as a separate film, when they are combined,
their good points largely cancel each other out, and the result is not far from satisfactory.
The one part of the film where the merging of the two strands of the film works well is
where Sandrine is teaching Fred to read (the words of legendary screenwriter Jacques Prévert).
This scene is inter-cut with images of a smooth bank robbery which looks as if it might
have been cut from a film by Jean-Pierre Melville.
The film abounds with references to many other film-makers - most noticeably Jean-Luc
Godard (the film begins with a re-working of the opening scene from
Le Mépris
whilst a large chunk of the plot has been "borrowed" from
Pierrot le fou).
Director Jean-Claude Brisseau intended the film to be a homage to the world's greatest
film directors. Unfortunately, he gets a little carried away and, with some of the
references a little too obvious, he merely provides another way to weaken the narrative
and distract his audience. This is a pity because the film also has many plus points,
including some stunning location photography and alluring performances from young actors
Stanislas Merhar and Raphaële Godin.
© James Travers 2002
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Film Synopsis
20-something Fred lives with his young wife Élodie in the rundown
suburbs and struggles to earn enough to support himself and his young family.
Being too generous by half, Fred can't help giving away his hard earned cash
to his friends, and this so angers his wife that she walks out on him, taking
their young daughter with her. Fred is still licking his wounds when
an old girlfriend, Sandrine, suddenly re-enters his life. Together,
they rob a post office and go on the run.
The two partners in crime take refuge in a school, and it is here that they
meet Maguette, an African mystic who claims to be the son of a king.
Fred and Sandrine are quick to make use of the stranger's magical powers
and with Maguette's help they continue their life of crime, raiding banks
as they take flight to the south of France. By the end of his crime
spree, Fred has accumulated a small fortune and can live the easy life, his
troubles finally behind him. But he cannot stop thinking about his
wife Élodie and in the end he makes up his mind to try to win her
back...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.