Running time: 112 minutes
Starring: Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu, Valeria Golino
Rating 5 out of 10
A glossy French thriller that pits two of the country's leading actors against each other, 36 has the feel of a Euro-TV series with its pounding score, constant use of slow-motion and undeniable sense of self-importance. Based on a true story (or 'inspired by true events' as the vogue for such films now seems to be) concerning a number of armed robberies in the 1980s which may or may not have been aided by police collusion, the film depicts all the stereotypes of the tough French cop we have seen down the years in one concise package: the kind of guy who can sink a bottle of whisky before nailing some suspects and going home happily to his wife. Daniel Auteuil and Gerard Depardieu are the two warring detectives: both from the same Parisian district (the 36 of the title is an allusion to the address of their police station), and the same school of thought concerning police work (shoot first and ask questions later). As the years pass their ranks improve, until suddenly one of them is promoted to a very senior level, event though he may have involvement with one of Paris' most notorious gangs.
Arguably his country's most famous acting export, Depardieu's shabby and louche demeanour is a good fit for his character, while Auteuil plays a familiar role for him of the honest guy trapped in a difficult situation. The two first appeared on screen together over 20 years ago in the Manon des Sources/Jean de Florette series, and while it's a good thing to see them back together, the script is too over the-top for them to bring any nuance to their performances. At least, however, it's a lot better that the misguided comedy The Closet which they both had the misfortune to star in in 2001.
Coupled with a style that is bombastic to say the least, 36 gradually loses much of its credibility as it takes one more unlikely turn after another, and it's baffling to see how it can be based on supposed real-life events. Some embellishments must have been necessary, and while its star power may attract some Francophile cinema fans, they are unlikely to come out wanting to rave to their friends about it.
Paul Hurley
