A struggling actor is hired for an unusual job : he is supposed to participate in the judicial re-enactment of a vicious murder spree, by performing the role of the victim(s). It soon becomes clear that the actor is both a pedant and a perfectionist, who questions each and every aspect of the investigation. At first his remarks annoy, but later they begin to sink in - for instance, is it possible for someone to approach another man unseen and unheard over a creaking wooden floor ? The question marks with regard to the murders multiply...
The main asset of "Je fais le mort" is the intelligent and unusual concept. The execution of the concept does not wholly rise to the challenge, mainly because there is a disconnect between the light-hearted, ironic tone and the violence and sorrow of the events depicted or remembered. Black humor is a delicate mix and here, sadly, there is something wrong about the mix.
This does not mean that there is nothing to admire in the movie. I can't say that I like everything lead actor François Damiens has ever done in his career, but here he is both credible and amusing. (Mr. Damiens is a compatriot of mine, which means that he has fallen victim to the dread Belgian Curse : he is well-known and popular in French-speaking Belgium, while most Flemings wouldn't know him from Adam. By the same token there are many talented Flemish comedians completely unknown to French-speaking Belgians. The word you're looking for is "discouraging".) The movie is also nicely atmospheric, evoking the kind of sweet, charming, snow-kissed village where every inhabitant has at least one axe to grind.
Last but not least "Je fais" asks some welcome questions about the uses and limitations of tools such as crime re-enactment. A re-enactment is supposed to make people think long and hard, but all too often just the opposite happens, resulting in disgraceful travesties where seasoned criminals perform a few hours of self-serving b.llsh.t (impro for the masses !) or where cowed suspects confirm police theories thought up over some sandwiches and beer.
The main asset of "Je fais le mort" is the intelligent and unusual concept. The execution of the concept does not wholly rise to the challenge, mainly because there is a disconnect between the light-hearted, ironic tone and the violence and sorrow of the events depicted or remembered. Black humor is a delicate mix and here, sadly, there is something wrong about the mix.
This does not mean that there is nothing to admire in the movie. I can't say that I like everything lead actor François Damiens has ever done in his career, but here he is both credible and amusing. (Mr. Damiens is a compatriot of mine, which means that he has fallen victim to the dread Belgian Curse : he is well-known and popular in French-speaking Belgium, while most Flemings wouldn't know him from Adam. By the same token there are many talented Flemish comedians completely unknown to French-speaking Belgians. The word you're looking for is "discouraging".) The movie is also nicely atmospheric, evoking the kind of sweet, charming, snow-kissed village where every inhabitant has at least one axe to grind.
Last but not least "Je fais" asks some welcome questions about the uses and limitations of tools such as crime re-enactment. A re-enactment is supposed to make people think long and hard, but all too often just the opposite happens, resulting in disgraceful travesties where seasoned criminals perform a few hours of self-serving b.llsh.t (impro for the masses !) or where cowed suspects confirm police theories thought up over some sandwiches and beer.