LE GUETTEUR/ THE LOOKOUT

France, 2012, 89 minutes, Colour.
Daniel Auteuil, Mathieu Kassovitz, Olivier Gourmet, Francis Renaud, Nicholas Briancon, Jerome Pouly, Violante Placido, Luca Argentero, Michele Placido, Fanny Ardant.
Directed by Michele Placido.

There have been many French police films, many standards of the 1970s, often with a lane Their long, many directed by Jean-Pierre? Melville. There is quite a tradition.

This film has been directed by Michele Placido, Italian actor and director – who has a small role the end of the film with a cameo by Fanny Ardant.

At the centre of the investigation is Mattei, played by Daniel Auteuil, whose son has been killed on active service in the Middle East. The police have been tipped off about a robbery and close in on the robbers only to be prevented from apprehension because of the sniper.

The sniper is played by Mathieu Kassovitz, the man who killed the inspector’s son, but with a complex back story, military service, crime, a relationship with the lawyer, his skill as a marksman, putting together the group to the robbery. He is apprehended, jailed. His lawyer associate is cruelly butchered. An arrangement is made whereby he escaped from prison to track down the person responsible.

The villain of the story is played by Olivier Gourmet, a doctor who has been disbarred, was able to operate on one of the wounded robbers. It emerges that he has informed the police, has killed off other members of the gang, is, in fact, the sexual deviant holding women, torturing and killing them, photographing them.

The film builds up to a climax with the three central characters, the inspector disillusioned about his son and his behaviour as a soldier, the wounding and death of the doctor, the lookout going free.

1. French police thriller? Armed robberies? Investigations? Military background? Sexual deviancy?

2. The Paris settings, the city, the bank, the surrounding streets, the car pursuits? The countryside? The doctor’s house and interiors? The woods beyond? An Italian director and perspective? The musical score?

3. The title, the focus on Vincent Kaminski?

4. The interrogation, Mattei, his role, his subordinate? Mattei and his intensity? Knowing about Vincent? Vincent and his responses?

5. Going back in time, the information about the robbery, Mattei and the police in readiness? The getaway cars, the thieves emerging from the bank, the money? The police moving into action? The sniper, the lookout, his shooting, his accuracy? The robbers getting away?

6. Vincent Kaminski, his being taken in, surrounded? The interrogation? His lack of answers? His going to jail? In jail, the setup, the groups, the fight, the method of the escape, the pursuit, the death of his accomplices?

7. Kaminski and his lawyer, the past relationship, getting him off, the same modus operandi? The violence of her death and torture? Mattei bringing the photos to the prison, Kaminski studying them? Further motivation?

8. The robbers? Nico wounded, his being taken to the doctor? Franck and his not being in practice? The surgery? Nico remaining with him? Nico’s wife, the interrogations and visits, her anxiety, the phone call? Vincent coming to see her?

9. David, his being followed, his throat cut? Eric, drug dependence, with the dealer? Kaminski confronting Frank, driving to the bar, Franck and his being beaten up, a decoy, his escape? Eric, the confrontation with the dealers, the shooting? Kaminski and his killing Eric?

10. The background story of Vincent, the documents as top-secret, the official revealing them to Mattei? Mattei’s son and his death? Kaminski responsible? The true story, Mattei’s son, becoming violent, killing civilians, Kaminski turning against him and killing him?

11. The information giving to get into the police, the setup? Nico and his friend from the circus, following? Finding Franck?

12. The truth about Franck, the plot, his informing the police, the surgery? The woman interned? Nico releasing her, the running through the forest? Franck and his pursuit? Nico’s death – and Mattei coming with Nico’s wife? Franck and his deviancy, the photographs, torture?

13. Franck, apprehended, self-confidence, Mattei and the setup, for Kaminski to kill him? Franck getting out of the car, walking along the streets, the bridge, being shot, his foot, going into the alley, Mattei confronting him, leaving him to Kaminski?

14. The aftermath? The criminals and their deaths? Kaminski and his freedom?