A Perfect Man

Despite some inconsistencies in the plot--I can't figure out why Mathieu's in debt, he doesn't have expensive tastes--this is a pretty gripping murder thriller. Plagiary has been used before (remember Morvern Callar when the girl steals her dead boyfriend's book) but rarely with such entertaining results. To go from labourer to acclaimed novelist must be the dream of many; here it really happens. Pierre Niney has made some fine films in the last few years--Yves Saint Laurent, Frantz--here he shows how desperate this man can get when he's cornered. Ana Girardot plays his fiancee; she's somewhat spoiled but that doesn't prevent her from starting to suspect Mathieu's intentions. Marc Barbe plays a really slimy blackmailer, dripping with malice and faux-friendliness. Great cast, fine entertainment.