Patrick Ligardes Movies
- 2009
A young Kurdish refugee finds friendship from an unlikely source in Welcome, writer-director Philippe Lioret's dramatic chronicle of intersecting lives. The tale unfurls in Calais, a seaside community in the north of France where one can glimpse the white cliffs of Dover, England with the naked eye. Vincent Lindon stars as Simon, a local swimming instructor privately reeling in turmoil because he dreads an imminent divorce from his wife (Audrey Dana). Soon, his path unexpectedly criss-crosses with that of Bilal (Firat Ayverdi), a 17-year-old Kurdish refugee with two aspirations: swim the English Channel, and join his girlfriend in England following a lengthy separation. Despite their differing ages, the two men discover that they have a fair amount in common, and soon forge a tight bond marked by similar goals. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Lindon, Firat Ayverdi, (more)
An international assassin known only as Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) carries out high-profile hits for a mysterious organization known only as "The Agency" in this adaptation of the popular Eidos Interactive video-game series. Agent 47 is an elite, genetically engineered assassin who takes great pride in his work. His lethal grace, steady shot, and unparalleled precision have all served to make him one of the most sought-after assassins in the world. But when the killer without a conscience is faced with an unanticipated series of developments, his entire perception of reality begins to shift. On assignment to take out Russian head of state Belicoff (Ulrich Thomsen), Agent 47 is caught off guard by the appearance of presidential look-alikes. When the high-profile hit captures the attention of such powerful intelligence organizations as the CIA and Interpol, agent Mike Whittier (Dougray Scott) is dispatched to rein Agent 47 in. Meanwhile, a mysterious Russian prostitute named Nika (Olga Kurylenko) has walked into Agent 47's life, causing the methodical killer to become overwhelmed by emotions that were previously foreign to him. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, (more)
- 2007
- NC17
The banlieues of Paris are burning, and as a young girl from the slums attempts to elude police by hiding out at a sprawling inn near the Luxembourg border she becomes locked in a vicious battle for survival against a group of Neo-Nazi fanatics intent on using her to start a new Aryan brotherhood. As the votes cast in the latest election are tallied, it quickly becomes apparent that an extreme right-wing party has been elected into power by a wide margin. In the aftermath of the announcement, the streets fill with protestors and riots erupt all throughout the country. Yasmina is a poor girl who has never known a life outside of the ghetto, and she sees the riots as an opportunity to stage a series of smash-and-grab robberies that could provide her with the money needed to improve her lot in life. After rounding up a few pals and robbing a few businesses under the cover of the chaos, Yasmina and her friends are pursued by the police and forced to split up. Before they part ways, however, they all agree to regroup at an inn just outside of Luxembourg. The proprietors of the inn are the Von Geisler clan. Led by a tyrannical, jackbooted patriarch, the Von Geisler's are a curious lot who at first appear to be stuck in the past. But the Von Geisler's aren't just eccentric, they are devoted Neo-Nazis with a twisted fantasy of starting a new master race -- and they have chosen Yasmina as their Aryan Eve. Now, in order for Yasmina to escape a grim fate as a fascistic breeding machine, she and her friends must fight for their lives against the brutish Von Geisler boys and their savage sisters in a vicious battle that will transform this once peaceful inn into a blood soaked abattoir. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Karina Testa, Aurelien Wiik, (more)
Albert Dupontel directs, writes, and stars in freewheeling French comedy concerning a glue-huffing homeless man who earns an unexpected modicum of respect after coming into possession of a police uniform. Roland (Dupontel) was wandering the shores of the Seine when he noticed a man hurling himself into the churning waters below. Upon investigating the site from which the man leapt, the curious derelict finds that the jumper, presumably a policeman, had left behind his uniform and a suicide note. When Roland attempts to do the right thing and return the uniform to the police station, he is chased away by overzealous cops before he has the chance to explain what happened. Upon noticing a cafeteria that provides free meals to policemen, Roland decides to make the best of his situation by donning the uniform and ordering dinner. Later, when Roland meets a singing mother (Claude Perron) who is struggling to get her children back from the malevolent in-laws who object of her lifestyle and see her as unfit to parent, the uniformed drifter attempts to use his newfound badge for a good cause. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Albert Dupontel, Claude Perron, (more)
