My crime | A good glass of champagne!

In 1930s Paris, a penniless apprentice actress, accused of the murder of a producer, is defended in court by her best friend, an unemployed lawyer, who pleads self-defense. But can the truth really come to light?

During an interview he granted us, François Ozon declared that he wanted to offer this detective comedy to the spectators as if it were a good glass of champagne, sparkling to perfection. It is unclear whether the effect is due to the bubbles, but the fact is that my crime is a delicious film, which takes its source in a long gone era – the 1930s – to better echo very contemporary themes, in particular the place of women in society.

By drawing inspiration very freely from a forgotten play from the French theatrical repertoire, written by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil (from which the Americans drew True Confessiona feature film that Wesley Ruggles made in 1937), the director of peter von kant closes a kind of trilogy started 20 years ago with 8 Women (the adaptation of a play by Robert Thomas), continued with Vase (the adaptation of a play by Pierre Barillet and Jean-Pierre Gredy). Like these two films, my crime indeed puts forward strong female characters, who pull their pin of the game despite an unfavorable context and circumstances.

François Ozon sets the mood from the start by launching his credits on a curtain raiser, thus honoring the theatrical origin of his story. An excellent musical score (by Philippe Rombi), directly inspired by stories of murders and mysteries, leaves no doubt about the dazzling style of a film where everything sparkles, even the poverty in which the two heroines first live.

We will enjoy following the journey of Madeleine (Nadia Tereszkiewicz), this penniless apprentice actress who will become a star after being accused of the murder of a crooked and lecherous producer. Following this success, a new culprit declares itself, however, leading the story to false leads as Ozon often likes them. In doing so, Madeleine and Pauline (Rebecca Marder), an equally broke young lawyer who defended her friend in court, discover without even suspecting a militant streak by forcing patriarchal society to look at itself in the mirror.

Beyond the well-crafted lines and impeccable art direction, my crime stands out above all thanks to its performers. Nadia Tereszkiewicz and Rebecca Marder, magnificent, are here surrounded by big names who, visibly, revel in what they have to say and do. Isabelle Huppert pulls out all the stops in an actress character directly inspired by Sarah Bernhardt. His face to face with Fabrice Luchini, priceless in the role of a judge overwhelmed by events, is worthy of an anthology. And then there is Dany Boon (with the Marseille accent!), André Dussollier, and also several remarkable actors in peripheral characters. Mention to Olivier Broche in the role of the clerk.

So, yes, we can say that champagne is good and sparkling. Health.

Indoors

Comedy

my crime

Francois Ozon

With Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Rebecca Marder, Isabelle Huppert

1:42

8/10