Les Kidnappeurs

(The Kidnappers )

A film by Graham Guit (France, 1998),

with Melvil Poupaud, Elodie Bouchez, Isaac Sharry, Romain Duris, Hélène Fillières et Elie Kakou.

On the French Riviera, four young misfits get together to complete what should be the easiest and financially-rewarding break-in of the century. Everything has been thoroughly prepared according to everyone's specific skills: Ulysse, the "brains" of the gang, will get rid of the guards, Claire wil neutralize the alarm system, Armand, her lover, will take care of the safe, and Zero, Claire's somewhat disturbed brother, will be the driver. They had planned everything... everything but murder, kidnapping, blackmail, treachery, deceit, revenge etc...

Graham Guit's second feature-length film is no different from his first one, Le Ciel est à Nous (Shooting Stars): same hip young bold and beautiful cast (Poupaud, Bouchez & co), same wannabe parodic Tarantino-like style (both in the story and in the direction), in short: same has been AND vain attempt to make a 100%-hip-labelled film... This turns to be amazingly artificial and annoying. Guit succeeds in spoiling everything: however good and talented they proved to be in former productions, NOT ONE of the members of the cast manages to stand out as a convincing character. Guit should maybe think of turning to commercials or videos -he's pretty much into visuals, isn't he?- because so far he's too poor of a storyteller. And as such, he's misleading both the audience and his crew into embarrassing productions...

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