Le Premier cercle (2009)
Directed by Laurent Tuel

Film Review

After two engaging and ever so slightly unhinged fantasy pieces - Un jeu d'enfants (2001) and Jean-Philippe (2006) - director Laurent Tuel takes us into more familiar territory with this hard-boiled action thriller, an obvious homage to the classic French gangster film of the past.  Le Premier cercle may be able to boast a formidable cast, headed by Jean Reno and Gaspard Ulliel, but it struggles to get beyond the well-worn clichés and soon becomes a glib succession of overly familiar set-pieces, each slickly directed but the whole failing to add up to anything significant.  Whilst the film impresses with its stylish visuals it doesn't leave much of a lasting impression - the story lacks originality, the characters little more than hollow caricatures.  For those who saw promise in Tuel's previous work, Le Premier cercle can only come as a major disappointment.

Film Synopsis

The gangster Milo Malakian is proud of his family tradition and intends that his son Anton will continue his successful career of crime.  Unfortunately, Anton has other ideas, and hopes for a different kind of life with Elodie, a young nurse he has met.  When he hears of this, Milo is incensed and is ready to go to war with his own son...