Synopsis: Yan
Lazarrec seems to be a normal man. He is a pharmacist who cares about the environment,
soothes mankind with his potions and fights to protect the earth against the polluters who
abuse it. Lazarrec is full of good intentions but, as one knows, the road to hell is paved
with gold and it is precisely there, in hell, that the pharmacist spends most of his time
because he has gone insane.
In the shadow of his laboratory, he creates poisons to kill the
polluters. The eco-warrior, the devoted pharmacist has secretly become a serial killer.
And the irony of it all is that Francois Barrier, the cop in charge of the case, is also
an environmentalist. The difference is that he goes about it with protests and
demonstrations.
It is during a conference on the safekeeping of the planet that the two
men meet and hit it off immediately. Yan and Francois find themselves fraternising because
they fight the same crusade. What they don't know yet is that they are bound to become
brotherly enemies. Their strange friendship will get stronger during an investigation that
is going to bring them dangerously closer and closer together.
Francois, completely under the spell, has absolutely no idea that
Lazarrec is the monster he is tracking down and he will have to go and fetch the killer in
his farm in Brittany, a farm that the pharmacist intended to turn into a sanctuary
dedicated to the preservation of nature. It is in this idyllic setting that the brotherly
enemies will meet for the final confrontation.
*****
Critic Marina Klimoff:
Vincent Perez takes on the role of a psychopath with charisma and
control, and Guillaume Depardieu that of the desperate cop. There is no doubt that the
roles suit them with wonder. They
were completely invested, which makes their performance an outstanding duo."
Monsieur Cinema:
"The choice of Vincent Perez is wise. He makes a success of
infusing seduction and fright."
Figaroscope:
"Vincent Perez and Guillaume Depardieu, are engaging."
La Voix du Nord:
"In the role of the serial killer, sure of his
convictions, Vincent Perez shows quiet assurance and then that insane
little glance."
Entertainment Insiders:
"Perez exudes a great sense of imbalance, making the character
eccentric and threatening yet not altogether frightening."
The Dreamers:
"Formidable work of Vincent Perez that is amazingly
fascinating."
Sophie Wittmer:
"The film rests primarily on the face-to-face confrontation carried out by Vincent
Perez and Guillaume Depardieu, both fabulous."
Fotogramas:
"Both (Perez & Depardieu) demonstrate an excellent
understanding, perhaps because they worked together in Peau d'ange directed by
Perez."
Gouvenel Studio:
"Vincent Perez delivers an impressive interpretation and plunges us
into an oppressive thriller... One should not forget Guillaume Depardieu, full of force
and emotion. The film indeed draws its quality from the perfect cohesion of these two
actors."
Cinelycee.com:
"Vincent Perez takes on the role of the psychopath with control and
charisma, and Guillaume Depardieu plays the desperate cop. The roles suit them wonderfully
which makes their performances an outstanding duet."
DVDpasCher.net:
"Vincent Perez and Guillaume Depardieu play their part impeccably,
maintaining the rhythm of the film."
Film critic Paolo Zagaglia:
"A really remarkable interpretation by Vincent Perez and Guillaume
Depardieu. Vincent embodies his character very well, charming and monstrous at the same
time, tempting and malicious, peaceful and worrisome."
Monsieur Cinema:
"The choice of Vincent Perez is wise.seduction and fear."
Jobwebzine.com:
"Vincent Perez interprets his character with wonder, complex and neurotic in both
emotion and action."
Kinomax-fr.com:
"The great innovation of this film is the enthralling
relation between Yan and Francois. Interpreted by two inspired actors, their relationship
reveals well-played dialogues and many subtleties. One knows Vincent Perez
from Cyrano, Queen Margot, Le Bossu... but the general public has missed the
excellent Les Apprentis in which one discovers Guillaume Depardieu. The ambiguous
bond which brings these two men together completely changes the way in which the film is
played out."
The Film Asylum:
"The performances of Depardieu and Perez (with the latter akin to
Jean Hugues Anglaide’s maniacal showing in Roger Avary’s ‘Killing
Zoe’) plus the often-bizarre nature of some of the environments they encounter, make
this movie a memorable experience."
Abusdecine.com:
"Against type casting, Veber retains the intelligent use of the two principal actors
- Depardieu as an awkward cop, and Vincent Perez as the malicious
pharmacist, which he interprets with wonder, accessing anger and darkness that one would
not have suspected of him."
123cine.com:
"Vincent Perez is at ease. He plays his characters distinctly and
precisely. The actor is obviously mature."
Critic Laurence Mondy:
"Jean Veber chose Vincent Perez to play Yan Lazarrec in homage to
casting Anthony Perkins in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Veber had the same idea of
using Perez, who possesses the face of an angel, but with a very worrisome glance."
Critic Nathalie Debavelaere:
Vincent Perez, in the role of the pharmacist with the double face, is
impressive. He gives all the ambiguity necessary to realize this terrifying character: an
easy voice contrasting with a
penetrating glance, which brings cold to your back. He is a demonic scientist."
Open.up.free.fr:
"Convincing actors - Guillaume Depardieu, and especially Vincent Perez,
the charming pharmacist."
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Production
Notes:
"I wanted to make a
movie with a mixture of a detective story and the fantastic."
"Yan
Lazarrec is a fanatic who dreams of a clean planet and who kills all those who dirty
it."