Racer and the Jailbird (2017)

Lack of good storyline.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Great example of an old-fashioned, pure-at-heart escapist event movie that doesn't pretend to be anything that it's not and has boat loads of fun being its own ludicrous self.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Well ... It's a very well made film, with a great cast, lead and supporting; it does have a few less than believable aspects to the plot I must say. But the first part is sort of the car racing + heist film you were promised.Anyway, yeah, the first part is fine - plenty of chemistry between Gigi and Bibi, lots of action, it looks like it's going somewhere ... and then where it goes is rather dark. And then from there, it turns utterly bleak. Forlorn, sad, depressing; you name it. I felt like there was a dark cloud hanging over me afterwards, and I'm surprised my dreams that night weren't darker than they were. I generally like noir, but this was a bit much for me. Some people have a higher tolerance for that sort of thing than I do though. C'est la vie.

Love story between a crime gang member (Matthias Schoenaerts) and a younger upper-class girl (Adèle Exarchopoulos) who happens to be a racing driver.It's essentially a drama with a little action, with the enjoyment largely depending on how much you care about its leads, who have made name for themselves in mostly French (language) movies."Le Fidèle" essentially echoes the "Romeo and Juliet" story where the two star-crossed people are divided by background but try to overcome their differences in the name of love.The story is too shallow and straightforward to make a lasting impression but the charm of its stars just might - although the girl can become a bit annoying with her tendency to hold her mouth open like she was a young. early 2000's Angelina Jolie.The international English title highlights one of them being a racedriver - the girl, in fact. Estonian title, "Võidusõitja ja võllaroog", is a direct translation from that, with a nice old-fashined choice of words to make it stand out a bit more.But the original title meaning "loyal" or "faithful" is much better because:(a) it closely follows the plot and tone, whereas the new titles makes one think of old French action comedies starring Jean-Paul Belmondo or something,and (b) driving is actually a minor and essentially unimportant part of the experience. There's not even a standout car chase which would make sense in a story about criminal and a race driverActually, there's not much to say about the whole thing, especially if one tries to avoid spoilers. The general tone is dark, the stars are handsome and good enough actors to make the most of the material.They have enough chemistry between them to generate some suspense but not enough to make the movie truly worthwhile."Le Fidèle" was Belgium's bet to bag a best foreign language movie Oscar this year but didn't make it among the five finalists to get nominated.

Wait, I don't say that's not a good movie. No, only it did not reach the point I expected, especially after the trailer watching. This is a melodrama, not a crime film; or may I say a melodrama with some crime accents. You have here one of the best armored truck heist sequences ever. I don't remember a better scene since LE PACHA, back in 1968. It is a must see. For the rest, it is a pure melodrama in the line of Arthur Hiller's LOVE STORY. This movie is too long for my taste, but performances are amazing, as the directing. A strange film, indeed. Interesting but not what I waited for. Many things unexplained, especially the ending.

Before I start this review, it is important to note that I am Belgian and because of this my experience in this movie is different. With this out of the way, let's start with a short synopsis of the film without spoiling any big plot points.The movie tells the story of Gigi and Bibi, two people with completely different backgrounds who fall in love in Brussels. Gigi (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a gangster who robs banks while he pretends to be a car salesman. He was abused as a child,t he only people he could rely on in his childhood were his friends. Later on he started robbing banks with this same group of friends. Bibi (Adèle Exarchopoulos) on the other hand comes from a loving and upper class family. Because of the support of her father she could become a professional racer. From here, the story unfolds.The performance by Matthias Schoenaerts is, once again, spot on. He delivers a perfect bilingual performance as Gigi the gangster who eventually sees the light. The other actors as, especially Adèle Exarchopoulos, shine as well. The story is divided in 3 parts, all with their own theme. The first is called 'Gigi' and is about the evasion Gino uses on his loved ones. The second, 'Bibi', shows the kindness and effort Bibi puts into her lover and the ways she tries him to make up for himself. The third and final chapter shows the redemption of Gino after facing some serious setbacks.The movie is thrilling and touching at the same time, not leaving you untouched for one moment. Above all the last scene of the movie where the camera flies through the streets of Brussels, metaphorically saying that Gigi roams the streets of Brussels with as only purpose to find the lover he lost.Highly recommend it. 9/10