Polisse (2011)

A journalist covering police assigned to a juvenile division enters an affair with one of her subjects.

Director:

Maïwenn

Writers:

Maïwenn (screenplay), Emmanuelle Bercot (screenplay)

Stars:

Karin Viard, Joey Starr, Marina Foïs

4 wins & 13 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Karin Viard	...	Nadine
Joey Starr	...	Fred (as Joeystarr)
Marina Foïs	...	Iris
Nicolas Duvauchelle	...	Mathieu
Maïwenn	...	Melissa
Riccardo Scamarcio	...	Francesco
Karole Rocher	...	Chrys
Emmanuelle Bercot	...	Sue Ellen
Frédéric Pierrot	...	Baloo (as Frederic Pierrot)
Arnaud Henriet	...	Bamako
Naidra Ayadi	...	Nora
Jérémie Elkaïm	...	Gabriel
Wladimir Yordanoff	...	Beauchard
Laurent Bateau	...	Hervé, le mari de Nadine
Carole Franck	...	Céline

Storyline

The daily grind for the cops of the Police Department's Juvenile Protection Unit - taking in child molesters, busting underage pickpockets and chewing over relationship issues at lunch; interrogating abusive parents, taking statements from children, confronting the excesses of teen sexuality, enjoying solidarity with colleagues and laughing uncontrollably at the most unthinkable moments. Knowing the worst exists and living with it. How do these cops balance their private lives and the reality they confront every working day? Fred, the group's hypersensitive wild card, is going to have a hard time facing the scrutiny of Melissa, a photographer on a Ministry of the Interior assignment to document the unit.

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Plot Keywords:

police | pickpocket | abusive parent | child molester | photographer | 

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Genres:

Crime | Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr] Official site [hu]

Country:

France

Language:

French Italian Romanian Arabic

Release Date:

19 October 2011 (France)

Also Known As:

Polis

Filming Locations:

Boulevard du Palais, Paris 1, Paris, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$16,568 (USA) (18 May 2012)

Gross:

$171,320 (USA) (15 June 2012)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Productions du Trésor, arte France Cinéma, Mars Distribution

Technical Specs

Runtime:

127 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In Hungary the release date of the film had to be postponed because the film was rated "18". The Hungarian distributor appealed the decision.

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Connections

Featured in Ebert Presents: At the Movies: Episode #1.18 (2011)

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Soundtracks

"L'ILE AUX ENFANTS"
(Christophe Izard/Roger Pouly)
Interprete par Anne Germain
(p) & (c) 1974 Editions de Alouettes (catalogue Technisonor)
Avec l'aimable autorisation de Sony ATV

User Reviews

Gritty Police Drama

Polisse is a police drama based on actual child protection unit cases in France. The visual style reminded me of the American TV show, "NYPD Blue." The acting by the ensemble cast is excellent, but the structure is unusual as it moves rapidly from the personal lives of the cops to the sometimes riveting crimes being investigated. One particular scene midway into the film, involving a homeless black woman explaining to the unit that she must leave her small son with them in order to give him a warm place to live, will tear out your heart. The start is a bit too haphazard for my taste, but I grew accustomed to the pace as it went along. A fair warning to those looking for a happy ending, with a positive message about the world we live in; forget it, this is a gritty, realistic, and sobering tale, and one that will stay with you for a long time.