Some historical figures are larger than life, while some might be even so large that their lives can’t fit into a single biopic. Jacques Mesrine, flamboyant and notorious French criminal who in 1960s and 1970s operated on two continents, is one such figure. The film, in which he is played by Vincent Cassell, is made out of two parts, each dealing with different periods of his life and in a different sytyle. The first, based on Mesrine’s own autobiography, written during one of his brief incarcerations, is more conventional, using 1960s period nostalgia and showing protagonist as a generally good man who strayed on the wrong side of the law. The second, set in 1970s, portrays Mesrine as dangerous and violent egomaniac whose dreams of leftist revolution don’t stop bloodshed that would end with his own spectacular and violent demise. Despite uneven qualities of two parts and director Jean-François Richet using some unecessary scenes, Mesrine should be recommended as a very well-acted and interesting combination of crime drama and biopic, much better than most of its Hollywood counterparts.
RATING: 8/10
(NOTE: Croatian language review of the same film could be found here.)
