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Mauvais sang (1986)
Alternatively titled: The Night is Young
Written and Directed by Leos Carax
Starring: Michel Piccoli, Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Julie Delpy, Hans Meyer
Marc (Piccoli) and Hans (Meyer) are aging thieves in debt to a dangerous American. With two weeks to pay their debts, the men enlist the help of Alex (Lavant), a young man looking for a change. While the three men plan their heist, Alex begins to fall for Marc’s mistress, Anna (Binoche). As the plan begins to unfold the true loyalties will reveal themselves.
Mauvais sang (The Night is Young) was written and directed by Leos Carax (Boy Meets Girl). The cast includes Michel Piccoli (Contempt), Juliette Binoche (Dan in Real Life), Denis Lavant (The Lovers on the Bridge), Julie Delpy (Before Sunset), and Hans Meyer (Barry Lyndon).
This French film is a unique take on the dynamics between thieves. The story thrives through the relationships that are constantly developing between the characters. It’s also an interesting look at love through the relationship between Alex and Anna. The different dynamics make for great moments in the movie. Unfortunately, this story also has a fair amount of weakness. The story focuses on the relationships to a point that the bigger picture seems to get lost at moments. This is especially true through the second third of the film and unfortunately this slows down the pace of the movie.
The acting in this one is pretty good. Denis Lavant does a great job with a character that has a lot of emotional baggage and strong needs. Juliette Binoche is also great in her role. She allows her character to be mysterious and alluring without taking away from the innocence she needs. There is also real magic from the interaction between Lavant and Binoche. There is a great chemistry between them that shines in the film.
The visuals in this film are wonderful. The use of color and camera work combine for a really nice visual experience. Combined with the score and the soundtrack, this has some really awesome moments. From a production standpoint, this is a really nicely designed film. Here is one scene that captures some of the great work.
This is an interesting movie that suffers from a lack of direction. If you’re a fan of the stars, or willing to be patient, this does pay off. This is also a good one for fans of foreign language films. I would also recommend this to anyone who likes movies that don’t follow the normal formula. This has some unique moments that really stand out. I give this one 3 out of 5 stars.
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