"Par accident" appears first as a detective story with social concern a la Georges Simenon ,but it finally turns into a Boileau/Narcejac murder mystery ,with a car chase (between two women!) almost worthy of the Bronson's vehicle " De la Part Des Copains ".
However the real meat here lies more in a face to face than in a thriller ,the unexpected twist being finally derivative .Two excellent actresses confront each other,directed by a woman director - women ,in the French cinema,make more and more their presence felt in the directing field-:
Hafzsia Herzia -remarkable opposite Emmanuelle Beart in the depressing " Ma Compagne De Nuit "- gives a restrained performance of an immigrant without working papers ,fascinated by Angélique (what a well-chosen name!!),a well-wisher (some kind of female Harry from the memorable "Harry Un Ami Qui Vous Veut Du Bien" );her husband shows himself a weak man ,unable to support her through her ordeal:she really wears the pants.
Emilie Dequenne shines in her part of an unscrupulous nurse ,happy- go-lucky, a crude so-called friend who little by little dominates the couple .More educated (although she claims she had an awful childhood,she nonetheless became a nurse),stalking male or female preys (she might have a lesbian side),she manipulates the poor girl ,already exploited by a smooth-tongued boss, who desperately struggles to remain a decent woman ;she's horrified when her evil genius talks about a little injection or when she casually says :"no matter?He's dead !"Angélique 's cynicism knows no bounds.
The general critical opinion towards this movie added up to a consensus that it was a good thriller,but that the ending fell through ;I tend to agree with it,but both actresses 'playing makes the movie really worth watching.
