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L'Appât (1995)

Director: Bertrand Tavernier

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From Time Out Film Guide

In most respects, Nathalie (Gillain) is like any other 18-year-old Parisian shopgirl: just attractive enough to do a little modelling, devoted to her boyfriend Eric (Sitruk), and bright enough to keep both of them afloat. But her means of making extra cash (chatting up rich businessmen in bars) isn't enough to fulfil their dream of going to America. So when Eric suggests they do a robbery or two, using Nathalie's promises of sex to get to her various 'acquaintances', she reluctantly agrees. But the best laid plans... Tavernier has always seemed most comfortable when dealing with ordinary people in extraordinary situations, and this proves an intriguing antidote to the slick, quick-paced thrillers favoured by Hollywood. It's not that easy a movie to watch - some of it is slow, the three main characters are not very sympathetic, and the violence (while not graphic by American standards) derives from a callousness that is quite sickening - but its quiet assurance and unsentimental intelligence makes for engrossing viewing.

Author: GA 0000-00-00 00:00:00

Time Out Film Guide


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