LES MISÉRABLES
Ladj LY — FRANCE — 103 minutes
IN A NUTSHELL
This urban drama examines the hostility between police and civilians set in a Parisian suburb of Montfermeil. The film follows Stéphane (Damien Bonnard), a mild-mannered single dad who has just transferred to Paris’s macho anti-crime squad. Paired with Chris (Alexis Manenti) and Gwada (Djebril Zonga), the men attempt to keep the peace in the neighboorhood. (words by Bianca Garner)
CRITICAL RESPONSE
“Thematically and stylistically it’s nothing you haven’t seen before, but the depictions of the mundane, subtly volatile quotidian are anchored by Ly’s eye for authenticity. The grime, the noises, the bubbling hostility, everything feels palpably real and raw. The film features numerous extended action sequences and DP Julien Poupard dazzles with the fluency and immediacy of his camera work. The many overhead drone shots and close-quarter panoramic shots may come across as a bit too smooth/flamboyant for the scenarios, but the sheer vibrancy of the images is undeniable.” — Zhuo-Ning Su, Awards Daily
“Heavy-handed and predictable in spots, yet engrossing and provocative in others, it’s an impressive if somewhat unruly debut that could play big at home and find takers abroad. That the film begins with such a raucous celebration of national unity and ends in a violent insurrection against the powers-that-be is a clear statement on the situation of Montfermeil and other places like it in France. We may be more than two centuries past Hugo’s story, but for Ly the revolution is just as nigh.” — Jordan Mintzer, The Hollywood Reporter
“The film’s ambient mood is initially very good: there is a terrific easy swing to the action as the cop car barrels through the streets, stopping periodically to bust someone’s balls, or for the cops to bust each other’s balls – and this is a very male world. Pre-violent normality is where this movie is at its strongest: just the day-to-day, hour-by-hour experience of being out on the streets, feeling the simmer of something that might escalate but probably won’t.” — Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
PRIZE PROSPECTS
Portraying in gritty style the troubles between the police force and groups of Muslims in Paris, Les Misérables might be oh-so relevant on home soil. Comparisons to other impactful, social punches like Do the Right Thing and 2015 Palme d’Or winner Dheepan are clear, and I would add the 2017 Egyptian film, Clash, and another Golden Palm winner, The Wind That Shakes the Barley.
With such an intense visual experience, Cannes juries often acknowledge a film’s director – so for his first film, Ladj Ly will certainly be in conversation. Especially as this could well divide jury members in terms of an actual film prize. Remember, Mathieu Kassovitz won Best Director at Cannes in 1995 for La Haine, a film which was brutally real in its depiction of Paris tensions between gangs and the police. Whether much has changed in the national conflicts over the last 24 years, history could indeed repeat itself here at Cannes. (words by Robin Write)
