Rive droite, rive gauche
1984 Thriller / Drama / Romance   
 
  • Director: Philippe Labro
  • Script: Philippe Labro, Françoise Labro
  • Photo: Pascal Marti
  • Music: Michel Berger
  • Cast: Gérard Depardieu (Paul Senanques), Nathalie Baye (Sacha Vernakis), Carole Bouquet (Babée Senanques), Bernard Fresson (Le Président Pervillard), Charlotte de Turckheim (Catherine), Jacques Weber (Guarrigue), François Bernheim (Landau), Jacques Boudet (Le ministre), Marcel Bozonnet (Michel Monblanc), Daniel Colas (Franchet), Marc de Jonge (Jaffré), Philippe Laudenbach (L'animateur), Robert Bruce (Bobby), Claude Lecat (Marie), Roland Oberlin (Marlat)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Runtime:
  • Aka: Right Bank, Left Bank
 
 
 
Summary
Paul Séanques is a distinguished lawyer charged with defending a powerful financier, who has been accused of diverting humanitarian aid for third world countries.  When he discovers the truth, Séanques reveals his client’s corrupt activities during a live televised debate.  His client, one of the most powerful and wealthy men in France, is incensed by this betrayal, and a violent feud ensues...

Review
Despite some racy music and some energetic, full-bodied cinematography (with some beautiful shots of Paris), this is a thriller that, somehow, just fails to miss its mark.  The acting, the script, the direction - everything appears to be above par, yet there is a sense that it could be better.  There are some respectable performances from the lead actors, Gérard Depardieu and Nathalie Baye, although their apparent nonchalance at being in the sights of some hardened killers is a little worrying.  Carole Bouquet offers probably the best performance as the panther-like vindictive wife of Depardieu’s character - in fact, she comes across far more menacing than either the corrupt financier or his psychopathic henchmen.

Whilst the film has pace and energy, it does lack a genuine sense of menace - an essential ingredient for a French thriller.  In fact, when we finally discover how easily Depardieu’s character manages to dispatch his opponent, there is a real sense of disappointment.  From the film’s build up, we are led to expect something akin to Syney Pollack's 1993 film The Firm, with Depardieu playing the Tom Cruise role.  When we realise that the bad guys are nothing but dim-witted ineffectual wimps, any feeling of suspense and concern for the good guys evaporates rather quickly.

© James Travers 2000


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