Cops and robbers, informants and double dealings, stunts and effects, action and drama: it's a 70s crime thriller, and a pretty entertaining one. There's even a sequence entering the last third that reminds more of 90s Hollywood action flicks than contemporary genre kin. What else is there to know?
Don't get me wrong, I like 'Un flic.' Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville crafted a compelling story with varied characters, strong scene writing, and plentiful detail to enrich the experience. His direction is rock solid in orchestrating every scene, and the cast give able performances to bring their characters to vivid life. Star that Alain Delon had been throughout his career, I think Richard Crenna rather steals the spotlight here. I admire Walter Wottitz's cinematography, bolstered by mildly subdued but rich Eastmancolor processing, and Patricia Nény's editing is extra sharp at a couple points. The production design and art direction are terrific; the costume design, hair, and makeup are fetching.
The extensive resources and in-depth knowledge of the robbers is fairly incredible, in both senses of the word, but then, I guess they did have the money and The Plan; at worst we can chalk this up to Movie Magic and leave it at that. Far more concerning is the egregious transphobia on hand, not to mention homophobia. Instances of police brutality are even more distasteful in the 2020s than they were in the 1970s; a spotlighted quote is all too on the nose regarding the inhumanity of law enforcement as the feature recalls Eugène François Vidocq: "the only feelings mankind inspires in policemen are indifference and scorn." That the title emphasizes in the end that this is all in a day's work for a cop reinforces that cops aren't to be trusted or respected, so I guess this has that going for it. Firm as the narrative is generally, I think the writing is marginally weak, amorphous, when it comes to plot development specifically. To be fair, I've seen bigger pictures do worse with more.
I enjoy 'Un flic,' but there are bits and pieces that haven't aged well, and/or that weren't appropriate in the first place. I think the writing could have been tightened. Still, for all that, the film is handily better than not, well done and entertaining to the point that its strengths outweigh its weaknesses. I guess what really sticks in my craw is that, good or bad, it doesn't strike me as something I'm going to remember much if at all within a few days' time. True, there's no rule that says every movie has to be a tour de force; that something is a good time can be and should be enough. All the same, I could have done with a tinge more vibrancy, without the noted issues. If you enjoy crime thrillers or are just generally looking for something good to watch, 'Un flic' fits the bill. Just don't feel like you need to go out of your way for it, and keep in mind its imperfections.
Don't get me wrong, I like 'Un flic.' Filmmaker Jean-Pierre Melville crafted a compelling story with varied characters, strong scene writing, and plentiful detail to enrich the experience. His direction is rock solid in orchestrating every scene, and the cast give able performances to bring their characters to vivid life. Star that Alain Delon had been throughout his career, I think Richard Crenna rather steals the spotlight here. I admire Walter Wottitz's cinematography, bolstered by mildly subdued but rich Eastmancolor processing, and Patricia Nény's editing is extra sharp at a couple points. The production design and art direction are terrific; the costume design, hair, and makeup are fetching.
The extensive resources and in-depth knowledge of the robbers is fairly incredible, in both senses of the word, but then, I guess they did have the money and The Plan; at worst we can chalk this up to Movie Magic and leave it at that. Far more concerning is the egregious transphobia on hand, not to mention homophobia. Instances of police brutality are even more distasteful in the 2020s than they were in the 1970s; a spotlighted quote is all too on the nose regarding the inhumanity of law enforcement as the feature recalls Eugène François Vidocq: "the only feelings mankind inspires in policemen are indifference and scorn." That the title emphasizes in the end that this is all in a day's work for a cop reinforces that cops aren't to be trusted or respected, so I guess this has that going for it. Firm as the narrative is generally, I think the writing is marginally weak, amorphous, when it comes to plot development specifically. To be fair, I've seen bigger pictures do worse with more.
I enjoy 'Un flic,' but there are bits and pieces that haven't aged well, and/or that weren't appropriate in the first place. I think the writing could have been tightened. Still, for all that, the film is handily better than not, well done and entertaining to the point that its strengths outweigh its weaknesses. I guess what really sticks in my craw is that, good or bad, it doesn't strike me as something I'm going to remember much if at all within a few days' time. True, there's no rule that says every movie has to be a tour de force; that something is a good time can be and should be enough. All the same, I could have done with a tinge more vibrancy, without the noted issues. If you enjoy crime thrillers or are just generally looking for something good to watch, 'Un flic' fits the bill. Just don't feel like you need to go out of your way for it, and keep in mind its imperfections.