The body of a young man is found floating on a river near Lyon. Herve and Karine, a team of the local police detectives, arrive at the scene. It is not clear to them as to what caused his death. They immediately begin their investigation. At the same time, another narrative, involving Vincent, the victim of the crime, is shown paralleling it to the work the police are trying to conduct.
Vincent, it turns out, is a male hustler. He meets his male costumers through a porn site on the web. His encounters are not cheap, two hundred Euros a session. His clients tend to be men of a certain age, wanting to engage the good looking Vincent and make him the center of their fantasies. Vincent operates out of hotel rooms, mainly. He goes to 'cybercafes' to chat with prospective 'johns'. One day he meets Rebecca, a girl that appears to be out of his league. In a bold move, she gives him her phone. This encounter will have a profound effect on their relationship and in the crime at the heart of the story.
In contrast with the bond that Vincent and Rebecca form, there is the one involving the detective team of Herve and Karine. Even though there is no hint there is anything but a good working relationship between them, both are seen sharing moments playing table tennis, or even using the communal showers of their police precinct, or just plain relaxing with a meal.
Vincent and Rebecca begin a torrid love affair at his trailer park-like mobile home. Vincent has lied to her about his profession, but it does not take long for her to find out what he really does as Karine follows Vincent to one of the hotels where he has just had a sexual encounter with a man. It will not take too long for Vincent to convince Karine to participate with him in other sexual acts that will end in tragedy.
Director Frederic Mermoud cleverly interlaces the actual investigation of the murder being investigated with the actual depiction of what really happened and how it led to the horrible crime in the story. In fact, Mr. Mermoud, who co-wrote the screenplay with Pascal Arnold, has a surprise for the audience that might not be too realistic in the viewer's eyes in the way he handles Rebecca's involvement in Vincent's death.
What the director achieved was first rate all around acting in a film that involves the viewer from the start. Gilbert Malki appears as Herve, the detective in the story. He was equally matched by Emmanuelle Devos who gives an understated performance as Karine. Cyris Descours is also terrific as Vincent, and Nina Meurisse makes the best out of her Rebecca the young woman that gets involved with a man out of her league to terrible consequences.
Beautifully photographed by Thomas Hardmeier, and with a music score by Gregorie Hetzel, the film showcases a brand new talent, Frederic Mermoud, whose next film will be eagerly awaited.
Vincent, it turns out, is a male hustler. He meets his male costumers through a porn site on the web. His encounters are not cheap, two hundred Euros a session. His clients tend to be men of a certain age, wanting to engage the good looking Vincent and make him the center of their fantasies. Vincent operates out of hotel rooms, mainly. He goes to 'cybercafes' to chat with prospective 'johns'. One day he meets Rebecca, a girl that appears to be out of his league. In a bold move, she gives him her phone. This encounter will have a profound effect on their relationship and in the crime at the heart of the story.
In contrast with the bond that Vincent and Rebecca form, there is the one involving the detective team of Herve and Karine. Even though there is no hint there is anything but a good working relationship between them, both are seen sharing moments playing table tennis, or even using the communal showers of their police precinct, or just plain relaxing with a meal.
Vincent and Rebecca begin a torrid love affair at his trailer park-like mobile home. Vincent has lied to her about his profession, but it does not take long for her to find out what he really does as Karine follows Vincent to one of the hotels where he has just had a sexual encounter with a man. It will not take too long for Vincent to convince Karine to participate with him in other sexual acts that will end in tragedy.
Director Frederic Mermoud cleverly interlaces the actual investigation of the murder being investigated with the actual depiction of what really happened and how it led to the horrible crime in the story. In fact, Mr. Mermoud, who co-wrote the screenplay with Pascal Arnold, has a surprise for the audience that might not be too realistic in the viewer's eyes in the way he handles Rebecca's involvement in Vincent's death.
What the director achieved was first rate all around acting in a film that involves the viewer from the start. Gilbert Malki appears as Herve, the detective in the story. He was equally matched by Emmanuelle Devos who gives an understated performance as Karine. Cyris Descours is also terrific as Vincent, and Nina Meurisse makes the best out of her Rebecca the young woman that gets involved with a man out of her league to terrible consequences.
Beautifully photographed by Thomas Hardmeier, and with a music score by Gregorie Hetzel, the film showcases a brand new talent, Frederic Mermoud, whose next film will be eagerly awaited.