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Nobody Kills Me Until I Say So

By TK | Posted Under Trailers | Comments (6)

vincent-cassel-in-mesrine-public-enemy-number-one1.jpg

Jacques Mesrine is one of those 20th century stories that seem tailor-made for a film adaptation. A cavalier, career criminal, he’s known to have robbed numerous banks in several countries (including France, the US, Canada, and Venezuela), was arrested several times, imprisoned, and escaped from jail four times. He was by many accounts a charismatic trickster and something of a wildman — a sort of French John Dillinger. His story was made into a film titled simply Mesrine in 1984.

Now, that story is being retold, albeit in an unusual fashion. It’s actually two films — Mesrine: Killer Instinct and Mesrine: Public Enemy #1 — filmed back-to-back, based on his autobiography. The films star Vincent Cassel (Ocean’s Twelve, Eastern Promises and (gulp) Irreversible), Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool), Cécile De France (Hight Tension), and Gerard Depardeiu, and won quite a few awards at various international film festivals.

But of course, it’s a foreign film (let’s just treat them as one film to avoid confusion). It’s in French, English, Arabic and Spanish. Which means that despite being released in Europe and Asia in 2008, it’s only coming to the US in September, and only getting a limited release — meaning everyone outside of New York, Los Angeles and a smattering of indie theaters won’t see it (though I wouldn’t be surprised if IFC picks it up). Which is a shame, because it looks like a fucking ball. Check out the trailer for the first entry — Mesrine: Killer Instinct (you can tell it’s cut for American audiences because, well, no one speaks):









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Comments

It looks like it could be a really fun movie but considering it's a limited release, it won't even come close to my "city".

Posted by: admin at July 22, 2010 10:11 AM

Vincent Cassel is my #1 freebie, so I'll throw things if I don't get to see this.

Posted by: Dorothy Snarker at July 22, 2010 10:15 AM

I've been trying to figure out when this would be released for so long - it was supposed to be in April but apparently got put off. I NEED to see it.

admin, not that I would suggest you do any such thing, but the films are "out there" - with subtitles even.

Posted by: Cindy at July 22, 2010 10:26 AM

WOW! I am amazed its taken so long to be released in the states.
It is a very good movie(in 2 parts).
Vincent Cassel gives an intense, mesmerising performance.
I highly recommend this movie.
Personally, I preferred Part1.

Posted by: supafly at July 22, 2010 10:36 AM

I actually saw this at a gala showing at TIFF in 2008.
No matter that I am half-French and defend foreign films on a regular basis, I didn't really like the film. Mind you the TIFF version of the film ended abruptly and then the director came out with Cassel and said "I am not done, I showed you what I have done so far" and then walked off without taking any questions (which is common at TIFF). Hopefully the final version is better than that choppy, remarkably violent and nonsensical version.

Posted by: Cherry at July 22, 2010 11:03 AM

I agree part 1 was really great, thought Olivier Gourmet's performance is, as always, fantastic in part 2. Now it's not without any flaws, but I think they greatly synthesize, albeit in two films, and magically capture the essence and the life of our Ennemi Public numéro 1.

It's funny though how they show all the action sequences in the us trailer (with classic american cars) and shut the actors up to appeal to "Americans" who won't even have the film release near them, whilst it's more of a biopic than a thriller/actionner, so yeah, they talk... in french. And even though they just don't look alike, Cassel IS Mesrine at some times.

What I mean to say is, see it.

Posted by: rg at July 23, 2010 2:42 AM