I saw this in the theatre last year and pegged it (along with Part 2) as the best films of 2011. I watched it again on Netflix cuz I was in the mood for some fast-paced prison action. Errr…that sounds terribly wrong.
Vincent Cassel is the man. Great actor who really shines in this real-life French gangster flick. The dude was a nutter. No regard for his life or the well-being of others. He had a twisted sense of loyalty and a warped sense of morality. Serving in the French Army couldn't have helped. Anyway, his life is awash with bank-robbing, prison escapes, women, fast cars, babies, guns, gambling, violence and a great mustache. Put all this in a blender and you've got one hell of an action-packed film. It's all documented with a classicism that avoids pastiche and simply exists as a legitimate documentation of the times it portrays. The styling is top notch. The editing is great. Definitely a nod to Saul Bass here and there. It's fucking great.
The content is certainly rough, though. If you're afraid of some sickening violence against men and women, then stay away. If you can't handle prison torture and you don't like seeing terrible things happen to good people…this isn't the flick for you. It's brutal. It cuts deep. Just like most great art should. Cassel isn't afraid to step up to controversial films, as we've seen in the in-fucking-credible Irreversible. While this isn't on that level, it's still pretty gnarly at times.
Anyway. It didn't disappoint on the second viewing and I'm looking forward to watching Part 2 later this week. Vive la France!
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