'Mon crime' is the funniest and most entertaining film I have seen in the first three months of this year. Don't get me wrong, I've already seen some very good films, with deep topics, interesting cinematography and with great acting, but none of them made me laugh so heartily and none of them left me with smile on my face at the end as it happened with this 2023 film by François Ozon. This is one of his more relaxed films for the French director as well. Others tackle more 'serious' themes and do not hesitate to engage their viewers in original cinematic experiences. 'Mon crime' is an adaptation of a play written in 1934, the story takes place in 1935 and represents a kind of retro-me-too film, written (also by Ozon) and made in the spirit of French theatrical farces. The cast brings to the screen some fresh figures from among the young generation of French actors alongside stars whose presences make any film an unmissable event. The result is excellent.
Madeleine and Pauline are two young women trying their luck in Paris in 1935. Madeleine is a beautiful and talented actress, Pauline is a novice lawyer, brilliant but without clients. The two girls are on the verge of being evicted from the small and unheated rented apartment because they have not been able to pay their rent for many months. Madeleine shows up for an interview with a theater producer and goes through a me-too trauma, being assaulted and rejecting his advances. Unfortunately for her, an hour later the producer is found dead and Madeleine becomes the prime suspect. And then, the two girls decide to turn bad luck into opportunity by plotting to be involved in a trial that will make them famous. Madeleine confesses to the crime she did not commit and Pauline defends her and gets her acquitted. The luck gained through this ruse is in danger, however, when the real killer appears.
The true assassin is played by Isabelle Huppert in one of her best and funniest roles in this millennium, a role very different from the grim and doom-and-gloom characters she's taken on serially for quite some time. A formidable comedian is also Fabrice Luchini, another one of my favorite actors, relishing in the role of the investigating judge who manipulates justice to his own whims. Dany Boon, Olivier Broche and André Dussollier also have savory supporting roles. However, the main merits go, of course, to the two young actresses - Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder - who each of them and especially together radiate talent and beauty. The satire of the misogynistic morals of 1930s France, unfortunately, still rings terribly relevant today. With slight changes, the story in the film could take place in 2024. But we would have lost the period fragrance and the pleasure of recreating a gallant Paris, with morals that are eternal despite toilets and hats that change their shapes and colors. I recommend that you don't miss 'Mon crime' for a healthy dose of charming entertainment.
Madeleine and Pauline are two young women trying their luck in Paris in 1935. Madeleine is a beautiful and talented actress, Pauline is a novice lawyer, brilliant but without clients. The two girls are on the verge of being evicted from the small and unheated rented apartment because they have not been able to pay their rent for many months. Madeleine shows up for an interview with a theater producer and goes through a me-too trauma, being assaulted and rejecting his advances. Unfortunately for her, an hour later the producer is found dead and Madeleine becomes the prime suspect. And then, the two girls decide to turn bad luck into opportunity by plotting to be involved in a trial that will make them famous. Madeleine confesses to the crime she did not commit and Pauline defends her and gets her acquitted. The luck gained through this ruse is in danger, however, when the real killer appears.
The true assassin is played by Isabelle Huppert in one of her best and funniest roles in this millennium, a role very different from the grim and doom-and-gloom characters she's taken on serially for quite some time. A formidable comedian is also Fabrice Luchini, another one of my favorite actors, relishing in the role of the investigating judge who manipulates justice to his own whims. Dany Boon, Olivier Broche and André Dussollier also have savory supporting roles. However, the main merits go, of course, to the two young actresses - Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder - who each of them and especially together radiate talent and beauty. The satire of the misogynistic morals of 1930s France, unfortunately, still rings terribly relevant today. With slight changes, the story in the film could take place in 2024. But we would have lost the period fragrance and the pleasure of recreating a gallant Paris, with morals that are eternal despite toilets and hats that change their shapes and colors. I recommend that you don't miss 'Mon crime' for a healthy dose of charming entertainment.