A man is arrested for nebulous reasons and taken on a ride by cops in an effort to make him admit to crimes and point others who may have infringed against the current powers that be.
Written by Jean-Claude Carrière, Martin Walser, and Peter Fleischmann, based on a novel by Antonis Samarakis, and directed by Peter Fleischmann, Weak Spot is a crime thriller with political thriller leanings, heavy leanings, showing the story of a man who is arrested and “disappeared” for a while as the authorities do what they want with him. There is something utterly scary in this story that will connect more with some audiences than others. This is a film that sets a false universe that is unnerving in its reality and its connection with certain types of authority in different countries. There is a lot in here and the fact that it is 50 years old and still relevant should be the most unnerving part of it all.
The acting here is solid throughout with a tinge of 1970s flair. The lead cast here is made up of Michel Piccoli, Ugo Tognazzi, and Mario Adorf, so basically pulling in fantastic actors and a straight up legend (Piccoli). Their work together makes the film what it is. The story has a few twists and has a lot to say, but these three bring it to life in the perfect way. The acting here is just right, with a balance of emotions and toughness that is just right. These men have hard lives, on either side of the situation, and find a way to connect and make the ordeal less taxing on themselves while knowing full well that their fate is already decided. These men play the game, try to win, but also find more humanity in themselves than they expected, and the actors portray all of this perfectly. The acting here is not just on point, it’s superb.
The film’s cinematography here is just right, giving images that are at times beautiful and at times downright stressful. The work by Luciano Tovoli here is done in the exact way the film and story needed, giving the characters the right space to evolve in and giving the viewer the exact right images to feel the story while watching it. The music here is by none other than Ennio Morricone and is perfect for the film, as his work usually is. It highlights and underlines the scenes without dictating them or the feelings associated with them. His work shows mastery of the art and how to apply it to a film in just the right way.
Overall, Weak Spot is a strong film that seems to be underseen, finally getting a solid re-release for North American audiences. The new restoration presented here looks good with some artifacts of the mid-1970s, mainly in color grade choice which was kept (a great thing). The extras on here are not numerous but the quality is of these is high. The main point of interest here, for this nerdy viewer, is the interview with Michel Piccoli discussing the film. The audio commentary is also quite good.