FRANCE, 2024.
Available on streaming platforms.
A noir with a twist, François Ozon’s The Crime Is Mine (Mon Crime) turns the genre’s typical plea for innocence upside down as its characters find that there are greater evils than a judicial conviction. The cinematography fully leans into stereotypes of a romanticised 1930s Paris, narrowly escaping a cheesy outcome. Playful and overtly, deliberately cartoonish, the film could have easily become a trite mess, but Ozon’s skill in handling the drama keeps one hooked and entertained.
The story is that of a struggling young actress, Madeleine (Nadia Tereszkiewicz), and her roommate Pauline (Rebecca Marder), a hardworking but unsuccessful lawyer. Poor, dejected and on the brink of homelessness, the two girls are hit by yet another misfortune when a famous theatre producer is murdered on the same afternoon that Madeline visits him for a job interview turned sour. The aspiring actress’ position as prime suspect, however, becomes an unexpected blessing in disguise when she becomes the talk of the town and her friend Pauline gets a chance to display her legal skills. Navigating their way through the absurdities of the justice system and the ensuing media circus, they carve a new path for themselves. That is, until the surprising appearance of Odette Chaumette (Isabelle Huppert), a waning movie star, re-shuffles everything.
Ozon celebrates the charms of early 20th century showbiz while deriding the corrupt and clumsy ways of society. The overall approach is very theatrical (the story is in fact loosely based on the play of the same name by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil) while also paying tribute to cinema as an art form. Admittedly, the plot is implausible and the tone bordering on the burlesque, but if one suspends disbelief and accepts it as a comical farce, the film is top notch and the cast doesn’t miss a beat. Huppert takes centre stage once she joins the action, adding more brio to an already sparkling scene.
If dissected, there is nothing in the film that stands out as original, but all the elements are strong and so well assembled that the outcome is inevitably delightful, captivating and pleasing.
The Immersive Verdict: Playful and deliberately cartoonish, the film could have easily become a trite mess, but Ozon’s skill in handling the drama keeps one hooked and entertained. Delightful and captivating.
— Mersa Auda
