En plein coeur (1998)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Pierre Jolivet

Writers:

Roselyne Bosch (writer)
Georges Simenon (novel)

Release Date:

25 November 1998 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Crime | Romance

Plot:

Cécile and Samira can't pay their expensive Paris rent. Walking down the street the two girls see an art gallery reception and finesse their way in...

Plot Keywords:

Lawyer | Boyfriend | Art Gallery | Robbery | Paris

Awards:

2 nominations

Cast

Gérard Lanvin	...	Michel Farnese
Virginie Ledoyen	...	Cécile Maudet
Carole Bouquet	...	Viviane Farnese
Guillaume Canet	...	Vincent Mazet
Aurélie Vérillon	...	Samira
Jean-Pierre Lorit	...	Antoine
Denis Podalydès	...	Martorel
Anne Le Ny	...	Bordenave
Nadia Barentin	...	Lili
Mar Sodupe	...	Luisa
Pascal Leguennec	...	Rene
Anny Romand	...	Judge Menadier
Françoise Sage	...	Judge Menadier's assistant
Michel Ouimet	...	Presiding judge
Thang-Long	...	Jeweller (as Thang Long)

Also Known As:

En cas de malheur (France) (working title)
In All Innocence (USA)

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:12 | Germany:16 | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Singapore:R(A) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Hôtel Lutetia - 45 boulevard Raspail, Paris 6, Paris, France

Company:

Canal+

Movie Connections:

References Star Wars (1977)

Limply intriguing

A tantalising tale of love, lust, betrayal and jealousy, En plein coeur amasses to nothing more than a frustrating folly, more engaged with the grandeur of its own concept than producing any real substance.

A famous Parisian lawyer (Gerard Lanvin) becomes involved with a delinquent shoplifter (Virginie Ledoyen) following her attempt to rob a jewellers with a toy gun. Entranced by her passion and life, the lawyer leaves his chic wife, the timelessly elegant Carole Bouquet, to embark upon an affair so devoid of emotion, that the viewer must wonder whether the director himself needs an alibi.

The cast turn in adequate performances, although special mention should be made to Carole Bouquet's effortlessly aristocratic character who provides all moments of emotion. Simultaneously innocent and wise to her husbands impending betrayal, she forms an intriguing character, too frequently overlooked in favour of the disjointed and superficial Virginie Ledoyen.

En plein coeur is guilty of all the cliches that is normally to be found in North American film. On this occasion it is a French director who believes you should feel moved by the force of the leads passion when he tells his wife he's leaving her for a woman who makes him "feel young again." For me, there is no irony here, polishing and carefully arranging each cliche does not merit praise, only disappointment.