SLEEPLESS NIGHT (NUIT BLANCHE) (2011)

Directed By: Frederic Jardin 
Written By: Frederic Jardin & Nicolas Saada 
Story By: Frederic Jardin & Oliver Douyere 
Cinematography By: Tom Stern 
Editor: Christophe Panel 

 Cast: Tomer Sisely, Serge Riaboukine, Julien Boisselier, Joey Starr, Laurent Stocker, Birol Unel, Lizzie Brochere, Pom Klementieff, Samy Seghir

A drug heist goes wrong, as one of the drug carriers escapes after stabbing the robbers, gets a glimpse of their faces. The two masked men are actually two police officers, who decided to plan the heist. Vincent, a lieutenant who now has a bad stab wound, ends up with a huge bag of coke. The bag of coke belongs to a powerful mob boss/nightclub owner named Jose, who kidnaps Vincent's son in hopes to reclaim his property. Vincent has until the end of the night to return the stash and save his son.

It seems like when it comes to some French actions films. They are taking the DNA of 80's action films and putting their own spin on them. Yet managing to make them feel realistic as the characters are more down to earth and normal citizens pushed to the extreme whoa age through intelligence, luck and a little training to make it. Instead of sone ex-paramilitary character who uses training to defeat an incredible number of enemies.

This film has it's characters that when the lead is a anti-hero, he is forced into a situation where he reveals his human side. There are a number of Double crosses. While you are on the edge of your seat. The film makes it fun to a degree. It never overstays it's welcome.

I like as the movie progresses. The likeable characters become more dastardly and evil. The film makes good use of primarily one location. It seems small but makes it feel expensive. Some scenes and situations will make you roll your eyes like in some action films, but not too much.

It changes what some of us might think of typical French cinema. Though I find now a lot of foreign action films. Which seem to have their connections to the American action genre have taken it a step further and are making action films. That would seem to be a natural progression for American action films. Now it seems like we are making bad remakes of these foreign films then taking out what was so different and original about it In. The first place. Though I love Lu beds on and some of the films he produces for the most part they are routine and kind of become schlocky. Here the film while more of a thriller. That uses the location for all it's worth and the film always manages to stay inventive.

The villians are kind of unbelievably stupid and lenient at times. The villians are not the ones, You would fear. They are incompetent that's different.

The film is constantly clever. Leaving some of his character ambiguous such are the morals and characters. The characters are revealed by action and their own actions instead of what they say.

I saw this film based on reviews and recommendations from the /film podcast. I obviously wasn't sorry only disappointed in myself for not knowing about it sooner.

 Grade: B