The activities of rampaging, indiscriminate serial killer Ben are recorded by a willingly complicit documentary team, who eventually become his accomplices and active participants. Ben provides casual commentary on the nature of his work and arbitrary musings on topics of interest to him, such as music or the conditions of low-income housing, and even goes so far as to introduce the documentary crew to his family. But their reckless indulgences soon get the better of them.
Benoît Poelvoorde
Ben
Rémy Belvaux
Rémy
André Bonzel
André
Jacqueline Poelvoorde-Pappaert
Ben's Mother
Valérie Parent
Valerie
Édith Le Merdy
Nurse
Jenny Drye
Jenny
Malou Madou
Malou
Willy Vandenbroeck
Boby
Nelly Pappaert
Ben's Grandmother
Hector Pappaert
Ben's Grandfather
Rachel Deman
Mamie Tromblon
André Laime
Bed-ridden Old Man
Sylviane Godé
Rape Victim
Zoltan Tobolik
Rape Victim's Husband
Alexandra Fandango
Kalifa
Olivier Cotica
Benichou
Benoît Mariage
Journalist
Director, Screenplay
Benoît Poelvoorde
Director, Screenplay
André Bonzel
Director, Story
Rémy Belvaux
Screenplay
Vincent Tavier
October 28, 2023
2
**A film very experimental and devoid of meaning, but with some notes of quality.**
I didn't like this film. It's a low-budget film, directed by Rémy Belvaux, which basically makes a kind of false documentary around the criminal and violent activities of a cruel and bloodthirsty killer, who accepts being filmed while he kills his victims. A film that looks like an academic work by a film student, and not something made for the public. It will certainly be an interesting film for film students and cinema critics, but it is not something I recommend to the general public.
The film has frankly positive points, starting with the excellent performance of Benoit Poelvoorde, who plays the main character and is the only character worthy of the name here. Everything else is extras or people who simply have to appear there. The realism is impressive and, at times, shocking, and the cinematography, in black and white, is very good and worked with creativity by the director.
The film's biggest problem is the feeling of amateurism and experimentalism that is felt at various moments. It's also one of those extremely violent films where everything happens without there really being a reason, a reason for being. Much of the film is a succession of violent crimes where there is nothing more than purposeless violence. The killer kills because he does, and it seems that the journalists following him are also filming because they have to film something.
Status:
Released
Original Language:
French
Budget:
$33,000.00
Revenue:
$205,569.00