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'Le Problème D'infiltration' - Everything Is Under Control...

A Review of the French-Canadian Movie

By Olivier SavardPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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Source: K-Films

(Translated from French.)

"Everything is under control." Those are the words spoken by Louis (Christian Bégin), the protagonist of Robert Morin’s new movie Le Problème D’infiltration, as he’s cooking dinner for his guests. At this specific point in the scene, we’d be inclined to believe him; exchanging jokes and laughs with his friends, Louis is meticulously preparing his meal, a glass of wine on the counter. A perfectly trivial moment; one could mistake this for Bégin’s cooking show, Curieux Bégin. This is only a facade, however, as the full picture Le Problème D’infiltration reveals is one of a man with an unquenchable thirst for control, whose perfect world slowly crumbles around him. A smothering spectacle of madness, Morin’s film, with audacious stylistic choices and a mesmerizing performance from its lead actor, entraps the viewer in an experience as captivating as it is nerve-racking.

Taking inspiration from German expressionist cinema, Morin, who has already left his mark as a director with films such as Requiem Pour Un Beau Sans-Coeur, successfully reinvents himself by bringing to life a truly unique atmosphere in the Quebec film landscape; rarely have we seen a thriller that so effectively made the viewer gasp for air. In the same vein, each and every stylistic choice, whether visual or audio, is at the service of the anxiety-inducing atmosphere. The most striking of these is the repeated and almost continuous use of long takes; splitting his film into five, Morin uses this technique with surgical precision to transform these long scenes into claustrophobic prisons for the viewer, who is given no respite. Furthermore, close-ups on Bégin’s troubled face are frequent, as are unusual camera angles and the almost perpetual motion of the camera around the actors, putting us in the front row of the protagonist’s evolving insanity. The chilling soundtrack by Bertrand Chénier, as well as a constant invasion of violent and sudden sounds throughout the film, are the cherry on top of this torturous ambiance.

However, despite masterful directing from Morin, it is the staggering performance from Christian Bégin that steals the show. Cast against type his very first leading role on the big screen, the thirty-year veteran brings out a completely unexpected side of his acting game. Playing a manipulative and self-absorbed surgeon, he is better than ever as he subtly assembles Louis’ disturbing traits piece by piece. Simply put, Bégin is scary. He gives life to a memorably troubling character, whose demons slowly submerge him.

Le Problème D’infiltration, for better or for worse, is a film that lets itself get taken over by the lunacy of its main character. For every brief minute where everything seems under control, there’s an oppressing quantity of them where the screen is drowned by Louis’ disconcerted state of mind. In his traumatizing encounters with his loved ones, or in his moments of claustrophobic solitude, Louis drags the viewer in the depths of his madness, leaving the latter to discern what is real and what isn’t. Breathtaking thriller, enigmatic delirium, this film brings an air of craziness you won’t escape from.

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About the Creator

Olivier Savard

From Quebec, Canada. Writes about movies, television and whatever else he feels like writing about. Winner of the Young Critic Award at Montreal's RVQC Film Festival.

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