The ever-contentious Vincent Cassel returns to screens in Jean-Francois Richet’s thriller following the rise of gangster, bank-robber and master-of-disguise Jacques Mesrine in 1960s Paris. What follows is brilliantly entertaining – a powerful and episodic delve into a murky but enthralling underworld and the life of a darkly compelling figure.
Split into two parts, the opening gives us a teaser for the second before leaping back in time to follow a young Mesrine’s return to the civilian life in the aftermath of the Algerian war. A move to Paris in the early 60s sees him begin his journey through the criminal ranks, following Gerard Depardieu (in his finest performance in many a year) as an ageing gangster. Following a high profile bank job, Mesrine flees to Canada, joining the Quebec Liberation Front, lured by the promise of big bucks rather than national pride.
For once, Cassel delivers a solid, compelling central performance with none of the mercurial unevenness that has often blighted his work in the past. The narrative skips quickly forward year-by-year and it’s to his credit that he manages to anchor the viewer to events, never allowing plot to overtake events. He’s a charismatic, magnetic personality; clearly having a lot of fun with the wigs and fake moustaches that see him named the ‘Man of a Thousand Faces’ but conveying the depth that saw Mesrine become a hugely popular anti-hero for many at the time.
Richet’s direction is assured, with some great set pieces, and enough cheek to add in running gags and capture Mesrine’s cockiness – pulling one bank job, then robbing another whilst the police investigate the first was a favourite tactic – and the film stands in stark contrast to the Director’s previous take on Assault On Precinct 13. Here he’s confident and enthralling, splitting the action up neatly so that part one (Killer Instinct) comes across like a crime serial, whilst part two (Public Enemy Number 1) takes the time to explore the character more thoroughly.
Given the narrative similarities, it’s also worth comparing this with Michael Mann’s glacial Public Enemies. Where Mann’s Dillinger biopic kept us separated from the characters, working almost as a period news report at times, here we’re thrust head first into the murky underworld atmosphere, a place as glamorous, amusing and exciting as it is dangerous. It’s easy to see the appeal of the lifestyle.
An immersive, exciting film with a magnetic central performance – not to mention strong supporting turns from Depardiieu in addition to Cecile de France and Elena Anaya as the women in Mesrine’s life. A huge step up for the director and one of the most enthralling gangland biopics this side of Goodfellas.
