mercredi 24 septembre 2014

A minimalist psychological thriller

Every day, Bertrand scrupulously monitors his blood sugar level and blood pressure. Every day, he meticulously irons the white shirt he wears with his black suit. Every day, he breakfasts on fried egg yolks and sliced white bread. And every day, he briefly ventures out with his camera, photographing random young women to compile his fake memories. One day, he even offers one of them $ 500 for her coat. Since returning from Afghanistan with a leg injury, this French-born former soldier has had trouble coming to grips with reality and overcoming his loneliness. On the heels of Sur la trace d’Igor Rizzi and The Kate Logan Affair, Noël Mitrani once again works with his favourite actor, Laurent Lucas, casting him in a complex, murky role as a soldier adrift. Inhabiting every shot with his undeniable presence, he’s the vulnerable and elusive backbone of this minimalist psychological thriller. An entirely independent production shot guerrilla-style in two weeks on the streets of Montréal in Super 16, Le militaire pulls the audience into a troubling downward spiral of paranoia.
 – Helen Faradji
Festival du Nouveau Cinéma