Christian Vincent's film "Sauve-moi" was shown recently on an international cable channel. Not having a clue as what it was all about, we decided to check it out. The film deals with the immigrant experience, mainly from the point of view from Algerians who have settled in the town of Rubaix, near the Belgian border.
Meddhi, an unemployed man, ekes a life locally trying to hustle his skills behind the wheel and offer it to arriving rail passengers as a taxi driver, albeit illegally, something that most people refuse. When he observes a young woman asking directions, he decides to give her a ride. It is obvious she has no way to pay her fare. She has come to meet a doctor, whom she met some time ago. The man, a doctor, clearly has no intention of reliving his past experience.
Meddhi takes pity on Agatha, introducing her to a group of friends of mostly Algerian background. Meddhi, who has problems in finding a job, gets hired as an assistant of a man with a collection agency. Meddhi will have to visit the debtors to get payments for the man. It is obvious he is not cut for the task, beating his employer as he witnesses the man humiliating the people he is asking to pay their bills.
The film deals with that world of immigrants trying to make a living; what they must face in an unfriendly environment. Our main interest in watching the film was the presence of Roschdy Zem, one of the best actors working in French cinema today. He does not disappoint. Rona Hatner, the happy-go-lucky Agatha in the film, is a welcome addition to any film.
Meddhi, an unemployed man, ekes a life locally trying to hustle his skills behind the wheel and offer it to arriving rail passengers as a taxi driver, albeit illegally, something that most people refuse. When he observes a young woman asking directions, he decides to give her a ride. It is obvious she has no way to pay her fare. She has come to meet a doctor, whom she met some time ago. The man, a doctor, clearly has no intention of reliving his past experience.
Meddhi takes pity on Agatha, introducing her to a group of friends of mostly Algerian background. Meddhi, who has problems in finding a job, gets hired as an assistant of a man with a collection agency. Meddhi will have to visit the debtors to get payments for the man. It is obvious he is not cut for the task, beating his employer as he witnesses the man humiliating the people he is asking to pay their bills.
The film deals with that world of immigrants trying to make a living; what they must face in an unfriendly environment. Our main interest in watching the film was the presence of Roschdy Zem, one of the best actors working in French cinema today. He does not disappoint. Rona Hatner, the happy-go-lucky Agatha in the film, is a welcome addition to any film.
