Bellamy (2009)

Touches You

It's entirely possible that sending the audience out feeling lousy was intentional

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.

Bellamy (Depardieu) is a famous Parisian police detective on vacation in Nimes with his wife. He is intrigued by a local scandal involving an insurance scam and death. The perpetrator of the scam contacts Bellamy for his advice.His curiosity is roused and he meets the con.I agree with the reviewer who said this slow moving boring film has a bunch of subplots that never seem to go any where. I would add the film tries to be deep with tons of meaning of life dialogue. This mixture comes off as vapid.I suppose the main subplot concerned Bellamy's (Depardieu) brother Jacques (Clovis Cornillac) who is miscast at 20 years younger than Depardieu. In the end we find out that Bellamy almost choked him to death as a child. So? Look this movie is a dud. Even with the tantalizing evidence of a twist ending of sorts. It is too vapid = a non suspenseful non thriller non anything waste of time.Also Depardieu's naughty sexual behavior towards his wife is a pathetic prop to add virility to this fading obese star. Depardieu is also portrayed as a sort of a walking Socrates plum full of contemplative dialogues--the worst sort of French film flaw---talk talk talk talk.... Do not rent or watch this film.

Where do I start? I have watched nearly all Depardieu's films over the years along with his compatriot Daniel Auteil. I was so looking forward to watching this but now rather than it joining my collection it has gone in the trash can.What was this giant of an actor (Jean De Florette and 36 Quai Des Orfèvres) doing in such a dull and meandering film? What was it's purpose? Was it a romance - drama? Was it supposed to be a peculiar crime thriller? Was it a last fling from the ancient Claude Chabrol? No, it was none of these, it was downright embarrassing and cringe worthy.Given the fact that Depardieu is not short of a few million Euros - he owns three restaurants in Paris and a few vineyards - one can't say he was doing it for the money. Maybe he's turning into a sado-masochist in his old age and enjoys regurgitating turgid scripts. Whatever, it was one of the the most miserable and clumsiest films ever. Poor lighting, wooden acting - except for the talents of Marie Bunel and the gypsy eyed Vahina Giocante who attempted to bring it to life - give up girls. And then there was the plot. Plot is also a term used for a small piece of land. That's what the film represented, an uncultivated plot with an abundance of weeds.And finally. What was the downright nonsense with the lawyer singing in court? Was that Chabrol trying to ridicule the viewer? Was it some 'in-joke'? Regardless it didn't fit in with the film - unless Chabrol wanted it to be a musical but senility won the day and he forgot what the film was about.I can't close without making an observation on Depardieu's excessive weight. What is he doing to himself? The man is gi-normous! If he doesn't slim soon he won't be making any more films. Get it together Gerard!

Having taken an unplanned breather from my ongoing Chabrol marathon, I ended up missing out on the very birthday I was celebrating! Anyway, I promptly reprised the schedule via his most recent offering – which, though it seems to have slipped pretty much under everybody's radar, emerges a decidedly solid effort.Amazingly, the director and the film's leading man – Gerard Depardieu, one of France's top stars for the last 35 years – had never worked together and, while the result does not particularly tax either of their talents, the thoroughly professional (but, at the same time, relaxed) contribution of both here attests to their longevity. Incidentally, I last watched this actor not too long ago in similar (albeit period) guise in DARK PORTALS: THE CHRONICLES OF VIDOCQ (2001), where the exploits of that real-life detective had received distinctly fanciful treatment.In fact, here Depardieu (looking incredibly puffy if still charismatic) is an eminent Police Inspector on vacation who is approached by a strange man confessing his responsibility in the demise of another whose charred body was discovered on a nearby beach in the film's opening scene. As the titular figure burrows into the case, he realizes not only that the identity of both killer and victim were fake but also that they are one and the same! Having become involved with a much younger woman, the man had intended disappearing (and eventually change facial features, which he does!) to throw his wife off the scent. However, the patsy selected for this ruse proves to be a tramp with a death-wish – so that it turns out the would-be killer is actually innocent of his own admitted crime!!The situation, then, is resolved in a most surprising trial sequence – with the Prosecuting Attorney assuming, at Depardieu's instigation, the role of Defense Counsel as well and providing his definitive statement in song! To complicate matters for Bellamy even further, his ne'er-do-well half-brother – with whom he shares a love/hate relationship – comes to visit and, at the end, perishes in much the same mysterious way as the subject of his latest investigation!As can be surmised from my comments, the film is essentially a lightweight, old-fashioned affair (barring a few swift transitions in the modern manner) but polished and entertaining enough to reap considerable rewards for movie connoisseurs of most persuasions.

I got so bored during the movie that it felt like losing time. So I won't waste more time in talking about it for long. Don't even bother to watch this boring story (if there is one)... Fortunately I had been invited. There's a man, his brother, his wife. A criminal, someone dies. It could have been another story. Right, We've been here before, haven't we? I'm so happy to be out of the theater, I'll now have a good cup of tea, it's midnight, it seems as if my scarce memory of the movie is fading away. Good, I won't have to talk about it anymore... Stay home instead of going to watch this, it's SO useless, really it is Chabrol at his worst. Maybe at some stage it might help to keep some dignity and stop making movies so appalling...