Witty, unexpected, and thrilling, The Innocent pulls off an excellent European heist film with modern sensibilities and its stylistic mix of genres. All at once, the film is a crime film, as well as a family farce, but also a screwball romantic comedy. The genres line up with the premise perfectly, but there’s something intriguing about the way director Louis Garrel uses each genre’s tropes. Abel’s clumsy spying over his mom’s ex-convict husband and drama pupil Michel is framed through noir techniques, while his friend Clémence gleefully interrupts his efforts with witty repartee. Abel’s suspicion of Michel’s schemes ironically leads to one of his own. And when his mom’s expressive acting techniques are used in that scheme, Abel expects fake emotions, only to reveal his true feelings. With each new twist, The Innocent plays with genre expectations for unexpected but delightful results.
"A fun, soapy caper – earnestly silly and very warm."
— Saskia Lloyd Gaiger
"“The Innocent” is quirky, touching, and well-played fun."
— Glenn Kenny
Sylvie, a nearly sixty-year-old woman, has fallen in love with Michel, a thug she marries in prison. The couple dream of starting again with a clean slate by opening a flower shop. But Sylvie’s son Abel, convinced that Michel will fall into a life of crime, disapproves of this relationship.
After his mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg) marries ex-convict Michel (Roschdy Zem), widower and aquarium tour guide Abel (Louis Garrel) is roped into one of his schemes, much to the delight of his brazen co-worker Clémence (Noémie Merlant).
The Innocent takes unexpected twists, but equally unexpected is the casting of Clémence. As a lighthearted, bawdy character, Clémence would not likely be portrayed by an actress known for intense and serious acting. Yet, Noémie Merlant, who is best known for her work in Portrait of a Lady on Fire and Tár, slides into this role with charm and ease. In contrast to her previous restrained performances, Merlant goes all into Clémence’s impulsive and over-the-top antics, making it easy to believe that she can dive in headfirst into a caviar heist. It’s awesome to see her having so much fun and it’s lovely to see a different side of Merlant’s romantic repertoire.
I have never tasted caviar, but if a caviar heist looks this fun… (For legal reasons, this is a joke.)
