Out on Blu-ray and 4K UHD July 30, 2024
A gas station attendant meets a drug dealer when he hides in his station one night, the two of them strike an unexpected friendship, leading the both of them through unexpected life events.
Written by Alain Page (based on his novel) and Claude Berri with Berri directing this French crime drama is a solid film across the board. The writing and direction are just about perfect, building a story that is is gripping and touching at times with darkness under it all, something that is just a little off (or a lot) in each of the characters’ lives. The characters are well written, the story is on point, the direction is just right, allowing the film to age beautifully, sadly well. This is one of those films that requires multiple viewings to get everything here and to get every layer of the story, all the details, and all the emotional connects. This is the kind of film that festival goers rave about but are often harder to find on disc or on streaming. This is meant to be viewed in high definition, it’s meant to be watched without any distraction so that the viewer can really get into the film and get the most out of it.
The cast here is fantastic, all turning in strong, solid, layered, calculated yet natural performances. They make the film feel more like a vignette of life on the dark side of Paris. The lead here is Coluche (a popular figure in French pop culture at the time) as Lambert, the gas station attendant. His performance here garnered some nominations and prizes for how he handled the part, how incredibly strong his performance is. His co-lead saw similar accolades at the time and for good reasons. Richard Anconina plays his character of Bensoussan with the right nuances, like he’s hiding something all the time, yet wants to be seen and appreciated. These two are joined by Agnes Soral as Lola, the love interest who is much more than that. She brings an extra layer to the story, she is a part of the citizens who have tough lives, but care about each other in this made-up yet so realistic world. These three take up the bulk of the screen time here, but the rest of the cast is not to be forgotten as they all give performances that work just right throughout the film.
The cinematography by Bruno Nuytten is superbly dark and gloomy, giving the film a look that fits its mood, helps create it even. The use of darkness is well done here, so is the use of light, all calculated and planned carefully with a solid eye for strong images. The visual team here did fantastic work that survives the test of time, giving a glimpse of a very specific era and world in France at the time. The score by Charlélie Couture is also just right for the film, never invasive, always a supporting character in a story that is mostly dark and sad. The music is exactly right for the story and the film.
Tchao Pantin is a strong French film that was done with talent and precision at all levels. It’s a film that makes you want more of it, but not at the same time. It hits hard and it hits right. It’s something that many have tried to reproduce in their own ways and rarely manage to.
This new release from Radiance Films looks stunning, with a 4k restoration approved by the film’s cinematographer. The image here are just right, showing the depth of the darkness, the brightness of the light. There is something with how this new release looks that will make some which more movies were this well restored. The newly translated subtitles are well done and fit with the French spoken words quite well with the occasional judgment calls not all French-English bilinguals will agree with, but none of these change the story in any significant ways. The extras here are not particularly numerous, but the documentary on the film is fantastic and includes both Claude Berri, Alain Page, the surviving leads, and a few others. It’s packed documentary worth picking up this new release on its own.