Lucas Belvaux has contrived to make a fine film laced with social comment without resorting to the preachiness of Ken Loach primarily because, unlike Loach, Belvaux knows how to sugar the pill by first entertaining and then leaving the audience to spot any social comment. We are in Liege and the local steel mill has sucked the life out of the workforce and then spat them out. One guy has lost both legs in the plant, another is his 'carer', Belvaux himself is an ex-con working shifts at a brewery and checking in with the police every week. Eric Caravaca is a young 'house husband' whilst his wife, Natacha Regnier (and, incidentally, my prime motive for seeing this film) is worn out from long hours in a laundry. All could use some serious money yet with the exception of Pirmet (Belvaux) all are upright citizens with no clue as to how to pull off a 'caper'. A plan, however, is devised, which involves knocking over a safe in the office of Gilbert Melki (a fine cameo; he appears at the end for probably less than ten minutes of screen time). Life of course would be nothing without complications; the plan had been devised excluding Patrick (Caravaca) on the grounds that as the only married man and father among the group he is less expendable; when, however, he learns about it he deals himself in whereupon Pirmet bows out, leaving the way clear for a 'Crime Does Not Pay' cock-up. This is, not to put too fine a point on it, a brilliant film which combines the caper with the social comment and benefits from outstanding performances. One to buy on DVD.
Review of The Right of the Weakest
