Counter Investigation (2007)

I love 10 movies. This be one of them. It's well made, directed, decent story and has all the range of emotions one would expect when being entertained. It wont take long for the viewer to be captured and then immersed into the storyline all the while not knowing what to expect. It has a sense of something is coming but what to it and finally, that "what" appears giving one of the best closures to the human psyche one could have. I am in support of how well the story was acted out to the point where you accept and even support it come what may. I also like the hearing the French language with the subtitles too. Somehow the fact that it is in a different tongue causes me to pay more attention upping the emotional quota considerably. Definite must watch for a good evenings entertainment. Snacking a must with a tasty drink too. No interruptions or you lose the bonding aspect. Stay still and it pays-off nicely...enjoy

Richard Malinowsky, a police officer, is a man that is always there for his friends. Because of being so accommodating, he has to leave his young daughter waiting as he is called by one of those people in need. The girl, Emilie, decides to go out on her bicycle. As the father returns to go out with her, he finds she has been viciously killed in an isolated part of a park.The police investigation, which Richard is part of, finds a man, Daniel Eckman, that fits the description of the killer. Although the evidence is circumstantial, the jury that tries him decides to send him to jail. Eckman, like many prisoners serving time, attract a following of admirers. Daniel begins corresponding with Christine Carlier, who will be willing to get him free.At the same time, Daniel Eckman starts writing to Malinowsky. In his letters he tries to redeem himself to the point that the detective himself, grieving for his dead daughter appears to have doubts of having sent an innocent man to pay for a crime he did not commit. When his physician's wife, Claire, discovers what Richard has been doing, behind her back, it proves too much for her to endure. She walks out on him.As a new trial is ordered based on Malinowsky's and Christine's good faith, Daniel Eckman is able to walk out of prison after only serving three years of his long sentence. What is more, he will received money for having been wrongly accused. Daniel plans to go away with Christine, but there is something when they finally meet, that makes her a bit uncomfortable. During his own private investigation, Richard Malinowsky gets some key information that will help him solve the puzzle and he is able to avenge Emilie's death.A fine film directed by Franck Mancuso who adapted a short story by Lawrence Block. The result is a credible 'policier' that never cease to get the viewer's attention. Add to that the excellent appearance by Jean Dujardin, an actor that is getting praise for his role in "The Artist", and you get a winning combination. The story moves at a good pace as Mr. Mancuso moves from one incident to the next. There are some heavy hitters in the large supporting cast. Jean-Pierre Cassel, Laurent Lucas who makes an impression with his Eckman, Aurelie Recoing, Agnes Blanchot, and Caroline Santini contribute to the enjoyment of the film.

Jean Dujardin plays "Richard Malinowski", a model cop and family man in this film loaded with famous actors like J. P. Cassel, Aurélien Recoing and J. F. Garreaud. Beautiful Caroline Santini plays the unknowing victim of a psychopath so well you can't forget her case easily. Visually beautiful, great music, a rather classic/ conventional plot in the beginning, but the movie doesn't deliver if you know how to wait.Claire M., the long-suffering wife of our main character, could've been better developed, following instead the well trodden lines of the "wife that doesn't understand the hero, leaves him at the worst moment, is cold and always complaining". I'd expect a better leading female character, at least in a film made in 2007.What I most liked is the cop culture of fellowship, even when they know what their "brothers in arms" are up to. They protect each other. For good or for bad :).Enjoy!PS: To the fellow IMDb reviewer "kosmasp": Yes, Dujardin is very well known in France, he's always at Cannes, having just won the best actor prize there with the beautiful film "L'Artiste" with Bérénice Bejo, for instance.

The plot is somewhat simple - a policeman whose daughter was raped and murdered helps the man who is in jail for her murder to have his conviction overturned. (graeme-hayes, he is not "allowed to investigate",he's doing it on his own without his colleagues's approval)The movie itself was really good. It was nice to see Dujardin finally getting a role worthy of his talents. However, what really irked me were the similarities between this movie and the Patrick Dils case.For those who don't know, Patrick Dils was convicted of killing 2 boys when he was 16 years old, then his conviction was overturned 15 years later - and the fact that serial killer Francis Heaulmes was proved to have been in the area at the time and described the murder of the boys to the police several years before had a huge impact during his trial. Heaulmes,however,was never charged.There is no question that the movie, especially the part about the serial killer, was inspired by the Dils case. Same disease, same relationship with his mother... so it makes me wonder what was REALLY the point for the film makers ? Are they implying that Dils is in fact guilty and should still be in jail ? I happen to believe in Dils's innocence and that really left a bad taste in my mouth after watching this movie. Apart from that, it's possibly the best French movie of this genre that I've watched in the past few years. Certainly the best since Six Pack.