Les Amitiés maléfiques (2006) Directed by Emmanuel Bourdieu
Drama
aka: Poison Friends
Film Review
Emmanuel Bourdieu's second full-length film - after the tepid romantic drama Vert paradis (2003) - takes us into the cloistered,
verbally florid world of literary academia and shows how easy it is for the unsuspecting
to be manipulated and driven by somebody whose only talent is in controlling people.
The scenario has a great deal of potential, much of which Bourdieu fails to exploit, although
he does succeed in creating a convincing set of characters and a plausible storyline.
The heavy literary tone is something of a turn off at first (unless you happen to
love Racine) and it does take a while for the narrative to gel, although the quality of
the performances (from a very talented young cast) helps to compensate for weaknesses
in other areas. The film is watchable and thought-provoking, but it would undoubtedly
have been a more attractive proposition if there had been more humour, energy and emotion,
and if Bourdieu's approach had been somewhat more daring and inspired.
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Film Synopsis
At the start of a new term at university, three literature students Eloi,
Alexandre and André strike up a friendship that will have life-changing
repercussions. Eloi, the son of a famous writer, feels impelled to
write, but lacks the confidence to seek a publisher for his first novel.
Alexandre has an overwhelming passion for drama, but he doubts that he has
the talent to succeed as an actor. André, by contrast, is brimming
with confidence, and no one has any doubt that he will go on to achieve great
things. With André's support and encouragement, Eloi and Alexandre
both find the inspiration they need to make a go of their chosen career paths
and look as if they may well succeed beyond their wildest dreams. But
André, the most promising of the three, a true original thinker, disappears
without trace...
Cast:Malik Zidi (Eloi Duhaut),
Thibault Vinçon (André Morney),
Alexandre Steiger (Alexandre Pariente),
Thomas Blanchard (Edouard Franchon),
Dominique Blanc (Florence Duhaut),
Natacha Régnier (Marguerite),
Jacques Bonnaffé (Professeur Mortier),
Yves Arnaud (Colonel),
Cécile Bouillot (Libraire),
Saliha Bourdieu (Femme de Prof. Mortier),
Botum Dupuis (Alice),
Françoise Gillard (Suzanne),
Eugène Green (David Eckhart),
Geneviève Mnich (L'éditrice),
Désirée Olmi (La patronne du restaurant),
Chloé Perrier (Respnsable invitations),
Grégory Quidel (Sous-officier),
Louis Salkind (Candidat),
Francoise Girard
Country: France
Language: French
Support: Color / Color (35 mm version)
Runtime: 100 min
Aka:Poison Friends
The history of French cinema
From its birth in 1895, cinema has been an essential part of French culture. Now it is one of the most dynamic, versatile and important of the arts in France.
Science-fiction came into its own in B-movies of the 1950s, but it remains a respected and popular genre, bursting into the mainstream in the late 1970s.
In the 1940s, the shadowy, skewed visual style of 1920s German expressionism was taken up by directors of American thrillers and psychological dramas, creating that distinctive film noir look.