The good news (for guys) is that rising French actress Isild Le Besco ("The Cost of Living") is shaping up to be France's answer to American starlet Scarlett Johansson. Both actresses are alike physically with their long blonde hair and full lips, but Isild is far less shy when it comes to full back and/or frontal nudity.
The bad news is that this practically dialogue-free excursion into the life of criminals on the run is only compelling if you remind yourself that this film based on a true story. Otherwise, the coupling of Le Besco's unnamed character with a young Moroccan has little chemistry if any.
Set in the 70's, director Benoit Jacquot has shot in B&W to make his use of archive footage seem less obtrusive, but the marked contrast between the worn newsreels as his crystal clear photography negates that subterfuge. Plus none of the actors seems to have any sensibility of the period either, probably since many of them weren't even born in the 70's.
Story revolves around a 19 year old art student (Le Besco) who meets a guy in a bar and falls immediately for his Moroccan friend. She learns later (on the TV news) that both men are bank robbers so she does what any teenager in love would do - she goes with them. Action moves from France to Spain, then Morocco and Greece. On paper you'd think this film would move along fluidly but depending on your identification with the characters this could be the longest 96 min. of your life.
The film does get interesting in the last reel when the heroine realizes the error of her ways just after a sexual spree revealed in some explicit sex scenes.
Worth a look (how often do you get to see B&W photography these days anyway).
