Qui perd gagne!

Qui perd gagne! (2004) (Loser Takes All) was co-written and directed by Laurent Bénégui. I saw it at the 2005 Cinefranco Festival in Toronto. (www.cinefranco.com)

This film tells the story of Jacques Loriot (Thierry Lhermitte) who is a compulsive gambler with a memory like a computer. A man has won the national lottery twice--essentially impossible. It's the job of Angèle (the intriguing Elsa Zylberstein) to find out how this is possible. She enlists Jacques to help in the investigation.

This is the kind of movie where nothing can be taken for granted--and no one is what he or she seems to be. The two leads are attractive, the supporting players are excellent, and the whole thing probably makes sense, although you'll need a pencil and paper--and a great memory--to sort it out after the movie's over.

Not a great film, but entertaining and definitely worth seeing.