lazarillo This movie has an interesting narrative structure with a co-ed pair of middle-aged detectives (Emanuelle Devos, Gilbert Melki) investigating the murder of young male. This is skillfully cut together with the parallel flashback narrative of the young victim (Cyril Descoeurs) and his relationship with a fresh-faced teenage girl (Nina Meurisse). Their relationship starts out sweet and innocent, but he is a bisexual hustler, who in turn gets her involved in paid sexual encounters with various "respectable" but sleazy middle-age men in various generic-looking hotel rooms. The narrative structure is quite effective, even if the present-day narrative with mismatched male and female cops--who are both very attractive, yet strangely both single, and who have a sexual tension between them you could cut with a knife--is an extremely tiresome cliché from pretty much every police procedural movie and TV show you see these days. The OTHER narrative with the young couple works much better.Cyril Descoeurs' character in a lesser movie would undoubtedly be portrayed as an evil "suitcase pimp"-type, leading an innocent girl astray. It always strikes me as very dishonest and unrealistic to portray a female this age as a wide-eyed innocent while a boy about the same age is portrayed as mustache-twirling villain. The boy here engages in paid sex along with the girl and he obviously genuinely cares about her (at one point he violently beats a sleazy middle-age client who abuses her). It also helps that we know from the beginning that HE at least is ultimately going to wind up a victim.Nina Meurisse is a real revelation. She has an appealing girl-next-door wholesome look to her and is very talented, yet is clearly not afraid to take on a role that involves sex and nudity in every other scene. This movie kind of reminded me of the recent Francois Ozon misfire "Young and Beautiful". But the "teenage" girl in that looked suspiciously like a gorgeous fashion model (which the actress actually was) and her character simply did not have any particularly good reason to be engaging in prostitution. This is much, much more believable, and its largely thanks to the performance of Meurisse. I don't want to oversell this movie, which is not exactly startling original, and is really only serviceable at an artistic filmmaking level. But I did enjoy it, largely because of the two young actors.

wes-connors We begin with sexy Cyril Descours (as Vincent Bouvier) being fished out of a French river. An apparent murder victim, Mr. Descours was strangled and beaten. The nineteen-year-old is discovered to have been a prostitute, by lonely investigating officers Gilbert Melki (as Hervé Cagan) and Emmanuelle Devos (as Karine Mangin). As the middle-aged couple try to solve his murder, we see the drama unfold in flashbacks.. .We meet Descours in a cybercafé, likely arranging to meet a new trick on his Internet sex site. When a recent picture is requested, Descours asks a nearby moon-faced high school student Nina Meurisse (as Rebecca Legendre) to snap the shot. Smitten with Descours, Ms. Meurisse leaves her number with the handsome young hustler, and receives his call. Soon, they are a genuine couple. At first, Descours tells his young girlfriend he is a real estate businessman... well, at least he didn't claim to be the Duke of Cumberland...Descours is actually a prostitute catering to older men. Moreover, his only other long-term sexual relationship has apparently been with handsome young pimp Jeremy Kapone (as Thomas Moraizini). When Meurisse learns the truth, relationships change… Also known as "Accomplices" on the "Sundance" circuit, this is quite an engrossing, modern drama. This is mainly due to the fine direction given by Frédéric Mermoud, who cross-cuts well with editor Sarah Anderson and the crew. The performances elicited are very impressive. On the downside, there isn't much new ground being broken. "Complices" succeeds in the way it treads familiar territory with an illusion of originality.Helping is the less flashy subplot involving Mr. Melki and Ms. Devos; they balance the younger couple by never actually getting off in the same way, and are thus made interesting on their own. There is also a good amount of nudity; some of the simulated sex is odd, but you can figure out what is supposed to be happening. It is interesting, and arguably regrettable, that the two "killers" who emerge during the story are treated very differently. Watch it. Think about it.******* Complices (8/9/09) Frederic Mermoud ~ Cyril Descours, Nina Meurisse, Gilbert Melki, Emmanuelle Devos

irishbaroo This movie was dark, and not like other high paced detective movies. It steered toward some familiar scenarios done elsewhere, but turned away from them at just the right time. The plot is complex, but not over bearing. The script was excellent in that the story flowed perfectly, every event discovered at the right time, the dialog between characters engaging at all times. The entire cast did an excellent job! I loved the relationship between the two Detectives, their lives were intertwined, but very separate. The boy and girl were perfect. She is like many of our Daughters, innocent outwardly but yet? The ending is absolutely perfect considering the story of the two Detectives. I'm very sorry I just saw this a few years later.This is a very well made movie! I will definitely be looking up the actors and actresses to find more of their work. Thanks to the Cast and Crew-Definitely a 10 out of 10!

GUENOT PHILIPPE One more effective french crime drama. Very well characterized by Emmanuelle Devos and Gilbert Melki, it tells the story of an investigation after a coprse is found in the Seine river. The two leads, cops, slowly find some elements on the dead man's life. The editing of this movie let us discover who the dead was. Some flash backs are mixed up with the story in the present, where the two cops investigate.This is the story of relation ship between two individuals, the two cops, and also between the victim and his gril friend, how the young girl changes her mood with him, about his unavowable activies. The young man is a prostitute with wealthy business men or doctors...This is also a story which shows us how humans can be depraved.An ugly tale, but the ending saves us some hope.