36

Stars: Daniel Auteuil, Gerard Depardieu, Valeria Golino, Daniel Duval, Mylene Demongeot

Director: Olivier Marchal

It's hard to feel much sympathy for any of the characters in this solid French police thriller. They all get pretty much what they deserve.

Leo (Auteuil) and Klein (Depardieu) were once friends, but fell out, partly over Camille (Golino), whom Leo married.

Now they are rivals: the one who nabs the 'van gang' will become police chief.

Leo makes a deal with the Devil in oder to get information on the gang, a raid on whose hideout is compromised by Klein who, incensed that Leo has just been put in charge of 'his' case, barges in brandishing a gun, resulting in the crooks' escape and the death of Leo's best friend (Duval).

Then Camille breaks a promise to her husband with tragic results..Leo is (rightly) jailed to complicity in a murder - and retribution looms all round.

There's a small twist at the end which you'll probably guess. But it's still a fair cop movie.

David Quinlan

France 2004. UK Distributor: Tartan. Colour.
111 minutes. Widescreen. UK certificate: 15.

Guidance ratings (out of 3): Sex/nudity 1, Violence/Horror 1, Drugs 0, Swearing 2.

Review date: 23 Aug 2006