Rochefort plays professional killer Victor Meynard in this beautifully shot French black comedy.
I rented this movie not knowing anything about it and barely reading the cover.
I was immediately drawn into the movie by Victor's deadpan expression and uptight manner and watched his composure melt away into plain irritability at his foiled assassination attempt on the art thief Renee as she is seen shop lifting. It then crumbles to exasperation as more things do not run according to plan as he is so obviously used to.
The Corsican gangsters are threatening enough, and the introduction of Guillaume Depardieu as the "all thumbs" Antoine tops off the chemistry and cast adding to the total chaos inflicted upon Victor's usually well ordered life.
There is a lovely scene too where Victor has afternoon tea with his aged but elegant Mother and it hilariously transpires here that she is an authority on poisons and pistols. A side-effect of this scene is a mysteriously dead Parrot.
It is all underplayed beautifully and the dark humor, characterization and pace contribute to a refreshing alternative to Hollywood.
I rented this movie not knowing anything about it and barely reading the cover.
I was immediately drawn into the movie by Victor's deadpan expression and uptight manner and watched his composure melt away into plain irritability at his foiled assassination attempt on the art thief Renee as she is seen shop lifting. It then crumbles to exasperation as more things do not run according to plan as he is so obviously used to.
The Corsican gangsters are threatening enough, and the introduction of Guillaume Depardieu as the "all thumbs" Antoine tops off the chemistry and cast adding to the total chaos inflicted upon Victor's usually well ordered life.
There is a lovely scene too where Victor has afternoon tea with his aged but elegant Mother and it hilariously transpires here that she is an authority on poisons and pistols. A side-effect of this scene is a mysteriously dead Parrot.
It is all underplayed beautifully and the dark humor, characterization and pace contribute to a refreshing alternative to Hollywood.