For about a reel and a half I thought Olivier Marchal had blown it; this new film wasn't living up to 36 Quai des Orfevres or MR73. Then all at once it blossomed before our eyes and took its rightful place in the Marchal pantheon. This was due in no small measure to Gerard Lanvin who I have yet to see give a bad performance. Lanvin is almost unique among 'macho' actors in that he can convey sadness and toughness at one and the same time. Here he plays a real person, one still very much alive and he does so superbly. Recently acting joke Vincent Cassell was called upon to portray a real character - also a gangster - and was light years short of Lanvin's performance here which is incandescent. If I single out Lanvin it is because he is the only member of the cast who stands an outside chance of being known in the UK - he also does comedy, see: Camping - but Marchal has cast his film well and the entire cast acquit themselves well. See it as soon as you can.
Review of Les Lyonnais
