Frank Mancuso is known as the screenwriter of the French police drama film “36 Orfevre Quay.” Before realizing himself in the cinema, Mancuso spent more than 20 years in the police. At first he was a member of the anti-drug brigade, after which he was transferred to the anti-terrorist department and ended his career in the anti-bandit department.
In 2006, together with Olivier Marshall, also a former policeman, he worked on a detective with Gerard Depardieu and Daniel Oteuil in the lead roles. A year later, Mancuso decided on a directorial debut and directed the film “Counter-Investigation” (2007). He wrote the script for the picture on his own, taking as a basis the story of the writer L. Blok “Like a bone in the throat”. By the way, the writer is also a competent specialist in criminal thrillers and dramas.
"Counter investigation" reviews are positive. Project rating IMDb: 6.70.
Plot
The strongest side of Mancuso’s “Counter-Investigation” project is the critique of the script.
Police Captain Richard Malinowski (Jean Dujardin) tries to spend all his free time with his nine-year-old daughter. However, it is not always possible to pay attention to the baby. So the time they got together for a bike ride, Richard was called to work. The upset girl went for a drive herself.
Soon Emily (Alexandra Goncalves) is found murdered and raped. Police officers quickly identify the suspect. It turns out to be previously not involved Daniel Ekman (Laurent Luca). At first, he categorically denies any involvement. However, later signs a confession. The court convicts a man for a term of 30 years in prison. From prison, Ekman writes Malinowski, insists on his innocence and asks if the police father can reconcile with the fact that his daughter’s killer is still free. The captain of the police begins his own investigation.
Excellent detective
Some reviewers in their reviews of “Counter-Investigation” sincerely wonder why the film genre is defined as a crime drama or a crime thriller in the film databases. They are convinced that it is more accurate to position the project as a detective story - realistic, playing to a greater extent not with feelings, but with reason.
The narration of the tape is quite leisurely. The tangle of facts spins extremely slowly. Three quarters of the time the viewer thinks that he fully understands the author’s intention and boldly predicts the final. But the sketchy portraits of the characters are gradually gaining sharp features, and already in the finale the narrative makes a sharp turn. It is for this surprise that the authors of the reviews to the “Counter-investigation” tirelessly praise Frank Mancuso.
Acting Ensemble
The French comedian Jean Dujardin is very unusual to see in the drama, although he has experience in this genre - in 2004 he played in French Transit. But nevertheless, the performer is better known as a comedian (a dilogy about the adventures of Agent 117, “99 Francs”, “The Wolf from Wall Street”, “Artist”, etc.). Despite this, in the movie of Mancuso he is magnificent, the image is powerful, convincing, albeit frankly depressing.
Laurent Luke, who shone in “Harry is a friend who wishes you well”, in the role of Ekman, ideally balances on the brink of separating disgusting pathology and unpleasant mediocrity.
The remaining actors of the “Counter Investigation” played soulfully, but remained in the shadow of the leading performers.