Jim3k
07-20-2008, 04:17 AM
On Saturday, I saw Tell No One, a French-made, but American authored murder mystery. In order to avoid any spoilers, I will say only a little about the plot. It is in French with English subtitles and it has a very bluesy soundtrack which is a great touch, given the plot.
The novel on which it is based was written by Harlan Coben (he of the Myron Bolitar mysteries). The French bought the film rights and director Guillaume Canet has made it into a stylish and gripping mystery. There are enough departures from Coben’s original that even if you’ve read it, the film will be new to you. Canet doubles as a wealthy patrician politician.
It stars Francois Cluzet as a pediatrician whose wife was murdered 8 years ago. He was initially, and wrongly, accused of murdering her. But now there are some new developments. More bodies have been found. He is under suspicion again.
There are some really strong performances here, Cluzet’s being only one. Kristin Scott Thomas, whose French is flawless, gives another as the pediatrician’s best friend (and his sister’s lesbian lover, a relationship that is only hinted).
The movie provides all the elements of a successful thriller: the frame, the chase, the flics – some eager, some more thoughtful, some nudity (intimate, but not sexual), some violence (with some really nasty people), a twist at the end, but little humor. Even so, it is not a dark movie, but humor would have been an unwelcome dissonance to the film’s tone.
This has to be a foreign film Oscar candidate and I highly recommend it. The adult features of this film are mild (unless you are offended by the F word) and an older teen should be able to handle it well, I think. I recommend it. It seems to have limited release. One of its earlier screens was in International Falls, MN.
Now it is art houses (or their current equivalent). The IMdb map shows it in the Northeast, the West Coast and very little in between – International Falls is still running it (Chi and Denver, too). Nothing in the South or Southwest.
Go if you have a chance.
The novel on which it is based was written by Harlan Coben (he of the Myron Bolitar mysteries). The French bought the film rights and director Guillaume Canet has made it into a stylish and gripping mystery. There are enough departures from Coben’s original that even if you’ve read it, the film will be new to you. Canet doubles as a wealthy patrician politician.
It stars Francois Cluzet as a pediatrician whose wife was murdered 8 years ago. He was initially, and wrongly, accused of murdering her. But now there are some new developments. More bodies have been found. He is under suspicion again.
There are some really strong performances here, Cluzet’s being only one. Kristin Scott Thomas, whose French is flawless, gives another as the pediatrician’s best friend (and his sister’s lesbian lover, a relationship that is only hinted).
The movie provides all the elements of a successful thriller: the frame, the chase, the flics – some eager, some more thoughtful, some nudity (intimate, but not sexual), some violence (with some really nasty people), a twist at the end, but little humor. Even so, it is not a dark movie, but humor would have been an unwelcome dissonance to the film’s tone.
This has to be a foreign film Oscar candidate and I highly recommend it. The adult features of this film are mild (unless you are offended by the F word) and an older teen should be able to handle it well, I think. I recommend it. It seems to have limited release. One of its earlier screens was in International Falls, MN.
Now it is art houses (or their current equivalent). The IMdb map shows it in the Northeast, the West Coast and very little in between – International Falls is still running it (Chi and Denver, too). Nothing in the South or Southwest.
Go if you have a chance.