Carbone

Olivier Marchal, the experienced French director responsible for Department 36, Mr 73 and A Gang Story, is trying again this year and for me he succeeded. A superb, gritty and dark gangster film where the main character and a group of friends commit tax fraud, earning a pretty penny, but the local gangster doesn't like that and asks for his cut. The road to glory is fast, but the fall down is even faster and here everything is driven into such trouble that it makes you uncomfortable. Brilliantly acted, suspenseful, gritty and uncompromising, and based on a chilling true story. A great gangster movie, and a delight to see Gérard Depardieu in a supporting role. 80% (13/07/2018)

Someone tell Olivier Marchal to make a bad film for once, because he just can’t manage it... Seriously though, this French guy consistently surpasses Western competition with each of his detective films. His movies always have a sharp and punchy tone that I can appreciate anytime. This time, although it isn’t a full-fledged gangster film, the initially slow pace picked up incredible momentum towards the end. It featured a cast of acting heavyweights, with Benoit Magimel (the French Sean Penn; the resemblance is chilling in some shots) delivering another top-notch performance. Gérard Depardieu, in a smaller role, was also impressive, showing that he still has a lot to offer even with limited screen time. I liked the high-quality direction (as usual) and the well-thought-out script that smartly introduced various twists. And the ending (actually the beginning) I consider a precise closing of a chapter for a man who didn’t know when to stop (this brings to mind the line: "He who wants too much may lose everything"). 8/10 (14/03/2021)