Le pacte du silence (2003)

User Rating:

5.7/10   

Director:

Graham Guit

Writers:

Marcelle Bernstein (novel)
Roselyne Bosch (writer)

Release Date:

5 March 2003 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Mystery | Romance | Thriller

Tagline:

The truth behind the secret is a lie.

Plot:

Everyone has a secret. Twins Sarah and Gaëlle near 25; for ten years, Sarah has been a fundamentalist Carmelite in a Brazilian convent...

Plot Keywords:

Twins | Priest | Carmelite | Convent | Paris

Cast

Gérard Depardieu	...	Joachim
Élodie Bouchez	...	Gaëlle / Sarah
Carmen Maura	...	Mère Emmanuelle
Isaac Sharry	...	Morel
Tsilla Chelton	...	Mère Joseph
Estelle Larrivaz	...	La soeur archiviste
Anne Le Ny	...	La soeur infirmière
Wojciech Pszoniak	...	L'archevêque (as Wojtek Pszoniak)
Isabelle Candelier	...	La psychiatre
Hervé Pierre	...	Marcel
Manuela Gourary	...	Chantal
Philippe Du Janerand	...	Chaumelle, le scientifique
Marie-Sohna Conde	...	Mica
Lucie Le Bras	...	Gaëlle / Sarah à 14 ans
Charlotte Bonnet	...	Suzanne Chaumelle

Also Known As:

Pact of Silence (USA) (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence and language.

Runtime:

France:95 min | Canada:89 min (DVD) | Argentina:95 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Denmark:11 | France:U | Germany:16 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | Argentina:13 | Philippines:R-18

Company:

Canal+

in this case the re-make will be better

It is hard to believe how such good premises can lead to a poor film. The idea of the film is very good, although not completely original. A priest and doctor treats a nun, who is sick, and we can see soon that her sickness has para-normal causes. In fact, she is twin in fate (and health maybe) with her real twin sister who serves term for a childhood murder. Without entering further details, the confusion and inter-melding in the lives of the two could be the start of a very strong psychological and/or horror movie. Reality and dream, hidden relations between the twins, secrets of the past poisoning the present, a priest fighting to keep his faith - all these are good themes getting a poor treatment. The film also stars the mega-star of the French cinema Gerard Depardieu, as well as a very gifted actress Élodie Bouchez in the double role of the twins. The problem is that the film is that badly directed, that the viewer has to fight all the time with the confusion of the action, instead of being able to focus on the psychological development. In this case the European style of filming in realistic shots makes a de-service to the movie. The Hollywood re-make if it will come one day may be much better. 5/10 on my personal scale.