Itinéraires

"Itineraires" is a desperate movie.Definitely the movie you MUST avoid if you're depressed;it leaves no hope to the viewer.That scene when the hero cries over his grandma's grave (the man in the cemetery tells his parents never visit this grave) after the cop discovered old photographs and other souvenirs of a long gone childhood where the young man had perhaps moment of happiness is one of the most moving of the French cinema of the last ten years.

"Itineraires" tells the story of a young man who was jailed for something he had never done;when he is released ,he is accused of another murder.The detective side of the story is almost completely passed over in silence.This is a psychological drama (or should I say tragedy) ,not a thriller.

Yann Trégouët gives a restrained effective performance:we almost never see him smile .A very promising young actor indeed;supporting cast is excellent and they portray interesting characters: Helene Vincent and Jacques Spiesser as the parents ,the former a mother whose child 'justice" has stolen,the latter a brute who has come to hate his son;Eric Boulanger as the alcoholic restaurant owner who is still dreaming of a son ;Cecile Cuignet as the salesclerk who wants "to get out of this place",the wrong side of the town ,where the hero has taken refuge ;Jacques Bonaffé as the cop who finally proves to be human,which was not obvious in his first scenes.

There's something of the Realisme Poétique of the late thirties :when Thierry and Sandrine walk along the murky streets and the girl wonders why the boy wants to stay in a place everybody wants to get out of.(Michèle Morgan says about the same line in "Quai des Brumes" ) Like this?try these.....

L'Affaire Maurizius Julien Duvivier 1954

Les Aveux de l'Innocent Jean-Pierre Améris 1996

La Vie de Jésus Bruno Dumont 2001