Le Cri des Gardes (2025)
Genre: Drama
Duration: 109 minuten
Alternative title: The Fence
Country:
France
Directed by: Claire Denis
Stars: Isaach De Bankolé, Matt Dillon and Mia McKenna-Bruce
IMDb score:
5,5 (387)
Releasedate: 4 September 2025
Le Cri des Gardes plot
A construction site in West Africa is run by the foreman, Horn. He runs into local resident Alboury, a man who refuses to budge. Until the body of his brother, who died on the site under mysterious circumstances, is brought to him. Tensions visibly rise.
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blurp194
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- 6015 messages
- 4496 votes
The source of the story is a play by Bernard-Marie Koltès from 1977. This quite easily explains the rather static setting. The plot is not particularly surprising; it is mainly about the atmosphere and the rendering of local details—the call of the guards.
Denis has once again assembled a fine cast: Dillon—what a gaunt face he has become—and De Bankolé for the poster, plus Tom Blyth on top of that. It is a pity that Riley Keough does not play the role of Leonie as intended, and that we get the somewhat colorless Mia McKenna-Bruce instead. It is also a pity that the contrast between Horn and Cal doesn't come across very well—I read that the age difference in the original play was much greater, and that there was a difference in training involved as well. Because of this, even without having seen the play, it feels as if something is missing. Perhaps that is also why Dillon and Blyth's characters feel so artificial and unbalanced, their lines seeming half stage, half film role. Only De Bankolé comes across as believable and authentic, but all things considered, he has a very thin role to play.
Aside from all that, Denis really does know how to make a film. The visuals are fine—ugly in service of the story, technically perfect, and with the occasional nice trick thrown in—the little dog, for example. And, as almost always, a fine soundtrack by Tindersticks. Still, compared to her better films, the movie actually falls a bit short. Perhaps just a bit too straightforward, lacking originality, too static. A shame; it feels like it could have been so much better.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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