ANYTHING FOR HER is another riveting French thriller that outplays Hollywood at their own game. It's a tight, focused, and compelling narrative that follows the misadventures of a man whose wife is sent to prison for a crime she didn't commit. With no chance of her early release, the guy sets about on a crazy plan: to free his wife from prison and flee the country, so that they can begin a new life abroad.
This is a great little movie and the only thing I disliked about it was that it could have used a little more breakneck action (director Fred Cavaye would perfect the genre with his next film, POINT BLANK). But the slow first hour works really well in building up sympathetic, realistic characters who you want to see come through no matter what. What really works as well is the focus of the script, which is on the central conceit throughout: there are no dumb sub-plots here, no extraneous stuff, just lean and pared-down filmmaking.
The performances are excellent, particularly from the gruff but likable Vincent Lindon, who was a newcomer to me. It's good to see Diane Kruger display some acting chops below the superficial beauty too. But the real winner here is writer/director Cavaye, who's crafted one of the tautest movies of recent years.
This is a great little movie and the only thing I disliked about it was that it could have used a little more breakneck action (director Fred Cavaye would perfect the genre with his next film, POINT BLANK). But the slow first hour works really well in building up sympathetic, realistic characters who you want to see come through no matter what. What really works as well is the focus of the script, which is on the central conceit throughout: there are no dumb sub-plots here, no extraneous stuff, just lean and pared-down filmmaking.
The performances are excellent, particularly from the gruff but likable Vincent Lindon, who was a newcomer to me. It's good to see Diane Kruger display some acting chops below the superficial beauty too. But the real winner here is writer/director Cavaye, who's crafted one of the tautest movies of recent years.