User Reviews

While I personally found the plot a bit ineffectual, I did consider Elliot Gould to be perfectly suitable for the task of producing a crude, explosively volatile cad, protected by French police due to his knowledge of a former criminal associate, willing to exchange his inside information for a new identity and face. But the clinic doing his surgery, the doc named Renaud (Judith Burnett), have further plans than just facial reconstruction as tests on his brain would suggest… Gould is such a louse, so full of rage and often ranting and raving about his demands, waving what he knows around to others (including Parisian cop, Denis LeBreaux (Olivier Rabourdin), who has a difficult task of trying to curtail his prisoner's temper and aggressive behavior) because of how it benefits him, it gives the twist at the end (and how he performs it) a special significance. Gould really provides this episode a much needed vitality it wouldn't have with a less capable actor; that has a lot to do how he can erupt and provoke a response. It is hard not to want to see him suffer, if you were honest to yourself, just with how he treats the women (he's an obvious misogynist) and verbally crushes people. For me, I don't identify international plots with The Hitchhiker, so seeing an episode set in France is oddly jarring to me. That said, Gould is the reason to watch this even if seeing Page Fletcher in France as a hitcher seemed out of place.

Violent and volatile criminal Augie Benson (well played with rip-snorting volcanic brio by Elliott Gould) agrees to testify against his old boss. Benson goes to a mysterious clinic for plastic surgery in order to conceal his identity. Director Patricia Mazuy, working from a nifty and absorbing script by Naomi Janzen, relates the compelling story at a steady pace and effectively builds a pleasingly spooky and unusual atmosphere as the plot unfolds towards a pretty surprising conclusion. Gould attacks the part of loud, arrogant, short-tempered brute Augie with considerable lip-smacking relish and ferocity; his aggressive acting really holds the show together (Augie's vicious sudden psychotic outbursts are especially intense and startling). Moreover, there are sound supporting contributions from Olivier Rabourdin as sensible cop Denis LeBreaux, Judith Burnett as the strict Dr. Renaud, and Micky Sebastian as fetching nurse Carrie. Both the slick cinematography by Cyril Lathus and the moody score by Anthony Lancett and Jack Procher are up to par. Worth a watch.