El inocente

I really don't know what to think about it. What's this, a comedy, a thriller, a drama? It hesitates between all of those elements and that mixes me up. Good directing, good acting, but you always wonder what are you going to see, but this time in the not so good way. Because, I know, that most of time when you don't know what to deal with, it may be exciting. Not here. Sorry. But honestly, it is a good entertainment, it's impossible to get bored and that's the most important, no matter my sensitiviy and taste. After all, there is no rule in story telling, nothing at all prevents a story to be a mix up between comedy, horror, drama, crime, science fiction.... Nothing.

An excellent crime comedy with elements of drama, which keeps the viewer's attention throughout the movie. It is interesting to watch how the relationships of different characters develop and what it all leads to.

This movie is quite funny and at the same time serious. It skillfully mixes these parts and it turns out pretty seamlessly. I also liked the romantic and criminal parts. It all comes together into one plot as well. What's interesting is that all these genres appear in the right places.

With good music in context and some pretty good acting, I have faith in this movie. It's really not bad at all.

I've never seen any of the movies Louis Garrel has directed but I think he is a competent actor in every movie I've seen him in. I finally watched one of his movies as a director and it was really good.

"The Innocent" succeeds at being part funny part emotional. The story is interesting with efficient moments of tension that would make you unable to look away or feel-good moments that could make you smile.

The story is a bag filled with a wide range of emotions but it works mostly due to the actors' solid performances. Noémie Merlant in particular did a great job. She was effortlessly funny, her crying was believable and her character always felt natural. The only other role I've seen from her was Marianne in "Portrait of a Lady on Fire", where she did a good job as well but in this movie it felt like she was held back for a bit. In "The Innocents", she steals the show by delivering the best performance of the movie.

The editing was kind of sloppy at first but it got better as the film progressed. Every actor did a good job, the story is engaging, Noémie Merlant was great, it was well shot, well edited... A very good movie.

... and then I discovered he was the Director as well! It probably explains why he got the job, but not really why he'd want to come across so badly in this. He was so awful that I nearly gave up about 20 minutes in, but stayed around for Noemie Merlant - who really makes this film - and Roschdy Zem, who I'd not seen before but does a very nice turn as the errant (but convincingly loving) husband.

As a variant on the "heist caper" it's quite nicely done, with some humorous moments, but because I didn't empathise at all with Garrel's character it was hard to see the ending as "happy" - as I'm sure was intended.

If you can cope with Garrel, I'm sure it's fine.

A lighthearted effort that manages to work as a comedy, romance, and heist film, which isn't easy to do. There are absurd moments but the plot is cohesive, flows well, and has no wasted action. What won me over were scenes like the acting lessons given by ex-convicts, which was funny, and the distraction ploy that suddenly got very real, which was unexpected and emotional. Anouk Grinberg is a delight and has a fine scene during a confrontation at the hospital too. And my goodness, there's Noemie Merlant again being amazing. Isn't she one to keep an eye on? Entertaining stuff from Louis Garrel.