Boomerang (1976) Poster

(1976)

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6/10
"It doesn't matter if a gentlemen was born poor or born rich,they swoop down on him and cry for vengeance."
morrison-dylan-fan24 March 2019
Warning: Spoilers
After some difficulties in processing the transaction (from the sites side) led to a delay in the Krimi film The Strangler of Blackmoor Castle (1963) being sold on eBay,I wanted to thank the buyer for being patient by including a bonus gift. Taking a look at the mountain of French films I had waiting to view, I spotted a Jose Giovanni title which sounded like a good fit,which led to me throwing the boomerang.

View on the film:

Putting the opening credits against what turns out to be the final freeze frame, co-writer/(with Alain Delon and Monica Venturini ) directing auteur Jose Giovanni & cinematographer Pierre-William Glenn also bookend the title with dips into the Italian Crime genre, via the opening drug-fuelled murder of a cop being shot in a stylishly hazy first person view, and a closing high-speed break out ending on a slow-motion splint across the border. In the middle of these bookends, Giovanni continues the clinical dissection motif which covers his entire work, with tightly held two-shots unmasking the regret Eddy has for being behind bars, and Jacques regret for having to go back to the old ways.

Holding back from gangster thrills, the writers instead drill into the tensely coiled drama of Jacques attempt to hold onto the new life he is trying to create, as a tug of war unfolds between the press uncovering his pass thanks to son Eddy's crime,and Jacques proving to himself that he is not the gangster of old. Looking at the choices placed in front of him,Alain Delon gives an icy turn as Jacques,with Delon digging into Jacques attempt to do things by the book,until his old life boomerangs.
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Pure José Giovanni stuff
searchanddestroy-14 February 2024
Gripping, poignant, gritty, this crime drama with strong, powerful social elements reminds of course one of previous José Giovanni's movies, also starring Alain Delon: DEUX HOMMES DANS LA VILLE, a terrific indictment against death penalty. In the mean time there was also LE GITAN, a crime drama, with more action sequences, and again denouncing this time harsh measures taken by French society against Gypsies. This movie doesn't seem to impose any special message, only an engrossing story where Alain Delon's performance is worth the watch. An ex gangster whose son, probably spoiled child, killed a cop on man slaughter charge. The father son relationship is absolutely outstanding, and told in such a way that no one can stay cold in front of this story.
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4/10
Justice is unfair...
dbdumonteil17 May 2007
...to the Rich.That might be the obnoxious moral of this Jose Giovanni film.The director was more inspired when he directed Delon in "Deux Hommes Dans la Ville" ,which was a strong plea against death penalty or even later in "Mon Père ..Il M'a sauvé La Vie" A former gangster (Delon) is on the right track again.He has become a wealthy man.Unfortunately,his beloved son kills a cop .And the judge has no pity on the poor rich kid.The father will sacrifice everything he 's got to save him.Even Suzanne Flon,cast as the policeman's widow cannot, save the flick.Besides ,slow motions which were trendy in the FRench cinema of the seventies are almost unbearable.

Get "Deux Hommes Dans la Ville" instead.
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