Le Tueur (The Killer)

Le Tueur (The Killer)

Le Tueur (The Killer) (2007, Director: Cédric Anger): Dimitry is a hitman visiting Paris with a simple assignment: kill businessman Leo Zimmerman. Only Leo has figured it out and confronts Dimitry before he can do the job, offering him a strange “deal.” If he gives him a few more days to get his financial affairs in order so that his young daughter can be taken care of, he’ll cooperate fully in his own murder. From there, the twists the plot takes make it impossible for me to provide any more synopsis.

By the end, though, you’ll have more sympathy for the hitman, who is able to somehow transcend his grim profession to commit at least one good deed, and maybe more.

Gilbert Melki as Leo
Le Tueur (The Killer)

This noirish debut from writer-director Cédric Anger doesn’t break any new ground in terms of style or story, but it’s a well-acted and paced study of two different characters. Both Grégoire Colin as Dimitry and Gilbert Melki as Leo are outstanding, with Melki particularly adept at playing a complicated character. Some of the brushtrokes are a little clumsy (the hitman is fatherless, of course; the businessman’s wife is having an affair), a few of the twists don’t make sense, and setting the date of the execution on Christmas Eve was not only over the top, but came out of nowhere, at least for me. But Le Tueur was nevertheless an enjoyable film that builds very slowly and respects the performances of its actors.

Grégoire Colin as Dimitry
Le Tueur (The Killer)

Trailer (possible spoilers)

7/10(7/10)

Note: Le Tueur is not only the debut of writer-director Anger, but of Montréal’s Evokative Films, whose founder Stéphanie Trépanier I interviewed recently. The film opens in Toronto on Friday November 28 at the AMC Yonge and Dundas.

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2 Responses to Le Tueur (The Killer)

  1. James McNally says:

    Not essential to the review but fun for me was the inclusion of three (three!) Devo songs and Elvis Costello’s “Alison”.

  2. Great review James! This is definitely on my list of films to see!

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