Contre-enquête (2007)

A cop investigates whether the man convicted of murdering his daughter is really guilty.

Director:

Franck Mancuso

Writers:

Franck Mancuso, Lawrence Block (short story)

Stars:

Jean Dujardin, Laurent Lucas, Agnès Blanchot

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Dujardin	...	Richard Malinowski
Laurent Lucas	...	Daniel Eckmann
Agnès Blanchot	...	Claire Malinowski
Aurélien Recoing	...	Josse
Jacques Frantz	...	Michel Arnalde
Jean-François Garreaud	...	Salinas
Jean-Pierre Cassel	...	Le docteur Delmas
Alexandra Goncalvez	...	Emilie Malinowski
Claudine Vincent	...	Catherine Courrieux
Caroline Santini	...	Christiane Carlier
Marie Guillard	...	Mathilde Josse
Gabriel Mancuso	...	Gabriel Josse
Thierry Bosc	...	Albin Schneider
Jean-Pierre Germain	...	Jean-François Perrin
Benjamin Guyot	...	Lebars

Storyline

Richard is a typical cop who spends too much time on the job and isn't always there for his family. One day as he's preparing to spend some quality time with his young daughter he gets an urgent call and responds to it - when he returns home his daughter is missing, but her body is quickly discovered. Racked with guilt he is also filled with hatred for the man arrested for the crime, but after being sent to prison the convict eventually manages to lure Richard into a secret correspondence. Doubts begin to surface - was he really the guilty man, or could this have been work of another serial child abductor who may have been in the area? Richard launches his own investigation, and finally uncovers a new witness. Gritty detective thriller.

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Plot Keywords:

secret | convict | abductor | investigation | murder of a child | 

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Genres:

Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Matiere Focale.com (French)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

7 March 2007 (France)

Also Known As:

Contragolpe

Filming Locations:

Saint-Gratien, Val-d'Oise, France

Box Office

Budget:

€7,600,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Pathé Renn Productions, Ephème Productions, M6 Films

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Brigitte Aubry's role was cut.

User Reviews

Flawed, but overall satisfying!

Contre-Enquete is the prime example of a movie that is not really well directed, but that is carried on by his actors. If you like your direction tight and extensive, this is not a movie for you.

You seldom feel rushed into the action, the scenes are too short and everything happens in the same time, which makes it difficult to get attached to the characters. In its first twenty minutes, the movie out pours a lot of emotional scenes that comes out as being cheesy because...well the movie is just starting! Nobody really cares about the characters yet.

But there is all the bad I have to say. The odyssey of a broken down father to find the true murderer of his daughter is a gripping tale that has Jean Dujardin and Laurent Lucas as their shining stars. Their play is subtle, tight and leaves the viewer in a total state of confusion towards the potential ending of the movie.

It could have been a landslide due to its predictability and its sloppiness, but Dujardin and Lucas made this an overall rather enjoying experience.