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SILENCE IS GOLDEN

Today's film was Jacques Audiard's

Sur Mes Levres / Read My Lips (2002)

A thriller with Victor Cassel and Emanuelle Devos. Favorite actors.

A secretary, hard of hearing, is the butt of jokes and given shabby treatment. A somewhat sympathetic big boss suggests she hire an assistant. Along comes the just ex con who applies. She hires.

They have a hate love relationship. Not easy.

She pressures him to use his muscle for a little office revenge then he asks her for some help in unraveling a robbery in planning.

The thing here is that we get to hear as she hears a lot of the stuff. No it is not a pain. It actually has some advantages as it turns out.

The tension is thick with respect to their caper and their relationship. Double the fun for the money.

This is a great film. Original premise, wisely executed. The acting is superb. Both principles are well known for character roles. She for plain jane or rough woman roles. The last time I saw her was in The Beat That My Heart Skipped, the Dad's girlfriend. Not a whore. He is a tough guy. Sexy ugly. The kind of actor that shows up regularly in french film. The male equivalent of the heart of gold underneath.

I try to see this every two or three years during which I sort of forget the tricks and twists and turns. It is still exciting to watch the two of them play this out.

A 5 out of Netflix5.

Labels: films