A L’AVEUGLE/ BLIND MAN

France, 2012, 94 minutes, Colour.
Jacques Gamblin, Lambert Wilson. Raffaele Agogue.
Directed by Xavier Palud.

A L’aveugle/ Blind Man is a contemporary French a police investigation film. It begins like an investigation into a serial killer. However, when more killings follow, a link between the victims is established, connections with an arms trade, illegal French arms going to Afghanistan. It seems they are responsible for the downing of a French helicopter and the loss of French lives.

Jacques Gamblin portrays a weary investigator, mourning the death of his wife, somewhat puzzled over his relationship with his gay son. Lambert Wilson, so effective in different roles like the warrior in The Princess of Montpensier and the abbot in Of Gods and Men, is a veteran military man, blinded in Afghanistan who is used by the French military to eliminate the contacts for the arms deals. Gamblin is quite effective as the investigator but Wilson is more interesting as the blind man, coping with his blindness with ingenuity, committing the murders out of a sense of loyalty, interacting with the police, achieving his goals will but discovering the truth.

1. A police investigation with a twist? Serial killer? Political cover-up and intrigue?

2. The Paris locations, the atmosphere of the city, homes and apartments, police offices, international conferences? Musical score?

3. The title, Narvik, his injuries in war? His coping with his blindness? Heightened sensitivities, hearing? His confronting his victims? Violence and savagery? His confrontations with Lasalle?

4. Inspector Lasalle, age and experience, the death of his wife and his grief? His relationship with his son, gay, his partner? His partnership with Heloise? Relying on her, personal?

5. The murders, the woman, the entrepreneur? Details of the murder, investigation? Making a link?

6. Narvik and his background, in Afghanistan, military, loyalties? His personality, interactions with Lasalle? cat and mouse?

7. The military connection, weapons, the downing of the French helicopter? French arms in Afghanistan? The possibility of illegal arms deals?

8. The conference, Narvik and his presence, with the colonel, the discussions, the background of arms deals? Narvik and his feeling betrayed? The intended assassination of the speaker?

9. Lasalle and Heloise investigations? The authorities’ forbidding them to catch continue? Orders from above?

10. Lasalle and his going to the conference, sitting next to Narvik? The detonation? The escape? Narvik and his confronting the colonel, condemning his betrayal, killing him?

11. The buildup to the final confrontation between Lassale and Narvik? The truth? The guns? Heloise?

12. An interesting investigation film with contemporary political and military repercussions?