L'origine du mal

I saw THE ORIGIN OF EVIL at an AMC Theatre in Skokie, IL after the director Sebastien Marnier had noted that his film was released in over 200 theatres in the United States.

I had already watched Marnier's other two movies IRREPROCHABLE and SCHOOL'S OUT, and they are both remarkably self-assured and intelligent for a newer filmmaker; I was thrilled that his third movie is drawing attention.

THE ORIGIN OF EVIL is earmarked by the same wit that he had already displayed, but Marnier has honed his craft even more here. Casting seems to be a no-brainer, and everyone here especially Laura Calamy, who is something of a French it-girl, is a perfect fit.

American directors are simply less smart or do not care about the details in which Marnier swims. See this movie and clear your head of some of the Hollywood dreck.

The Origin of Evil; A French and Canadian Noir Black comedy which flirts with the slipstream of Horror. Nathalie (Laura Calamy) is a Ripleyesque character, an identity thief who now attempts to assume the role of Stephane the long lost daughter of a wealthy man, Serge (Jacques Weber). His family are not happy to see her, George (Doria Tillier), her "half sister" is especially suspicious. Serge's wife Louise (Dominique Blanc) is also unwelcoming at first but begins to see Nathalie as a possible companion. Though she works in a fish canning plant on the production line, Nathalie pretends that she owns the factory. It is certainly an odd household, Georges's daughter Jeanne (Celeste Brunnquell) describes it as a madhouse, Louise obsessively buys all sorts of things online, every room in the villa has unopened boxes, Jeanne continuously takes photographs. The family are uncaring towards Serge, bullying him since he had a stroke, not helping him up when he falls, trying to gain power of attorney over his business. The housekeeper Agnes is a spy for Louise and George. Serge sees Nathalie as a potential ally who can be a witness at his competency hearing. But there are many plot twists to come as Nathalie reveals hidden strengths to emerge as a very talented Ms Ripley indeed as her intentions become more refined. But even she has problems as her imprisoned lover ( Suzanne Clement) retains an interest in her. Sharp dialogue, an interesting use of split screen, sometimes up to five different viewpoints simultaneously and the darkest of humour speed this narrative along. Great acting from an ensemble cast. The ghost of Patricia Highsmith is smiling down on this production. Directed and Co-Written by Sebastien Marnier. 8/10.

Or whos knocking on the door as we now enter the heaviest of tv-crime season, at least here in norway, the easter holiday season. This could be a bullseye film for the norwegian broadcaster NRK, a film with loads of scamming, identity theft, envy, mistrust, love and death...

i shall admit i used some time to get into the playbook of this filmstory, but when i saw the cluedos of the game it was pretty exciting after all. I cant say the same about the music made for this story, simple keyboard scrambling of such low quality even i couldve done it.

The cast playing the caracters of this awkward family is good, and leaves a lot of signals that too much money aint always a recipie for familiar happiness...

i guess this flick will suit le femmes of the audience, and quite a performance thinks the grumpy old man, recommende'

The Origin of Evil is no such thing, it's a ridiculous title for such a sedate and slow-paced thriller. In fact, L'origine du mal is about a half an hour too long.

Stephane, a factory worker, seeks out the wealthy father who abandoned her mother long ago so that she can get to know him in his old age. Serge is not a good man, he admits to caring about nothing but work and money and to having "a few" women. His wife and daughter, George, can't stand him and seem determined to make his life a living hell - the wife by power shopping constantly for things she does not need (or really even want) to waste his millions, and the daughter has taken control of all of his existing businesses, to his chagrin. Stephane is immediately regarded with suspicion and anger by her spoiled half-sister George but insists on ingratiating herself into her father and step-mother's lives.

Stephane is hiding an awful lot, including a lesbian partner who is confined to jail for a crime she claims she didn't commit. I know all of this sounds really interesting and twisty, and the cinematography is nice, but The Origin of Evil is all-too-common. It's very average as a French thriller, I guess you could say it was done in the classic style of French cinema. Maybe I'm too used to watching Italian Giallos and K-Thrillers but this movie practically put me to sleep. I managed to take a break then stay with it until the end, which was relatively predictable at that point.

The one good thing I can say about this film is that because it is so serious, it's difficult not to empathize with Stephane, no matter how bad of a person she is. I'm often able to distance myself from nasty characters emotionally, but Stephane is played with a complexity that hints at her severe mental instability and emotional scars which encourages a sense of sympathy for her until the bitter end.

The Italian title is absurd. In the original it does "The Origin of Evil"... and then everything changes. It's NOT a comedy, it's the baddest movie of the last ten years. In comparison, the "Parenti Serpenti" of the unforgettable Monicelli... are collegians. Nothing is as it seems nobody is who it seems. The plot unfolds in an absolutely intriguing way, revealing the truths little by little. The split screen in some sequences is even intelligent.

Doria Tiller is charming, colder than ice, she remind me about her opposite performance very heartfelt and warm in "Un amore sopra le righe" (Italian title) The hospital scene is... devilishly terrible... while the final scene... with that fabulous close-up that... For me 8/10.