Vincent Ravalec Movies
- 2008
Recalling both Gerard Lauzier's Mon Père Ce Héros (1991) and Stan Dragoti's She's Out of Control (1989), this French-language comedy hones in on the adolescent complications that threaten to destroy a long-estranged dad's newfound relationship with his teen daughter. For years, scientist Philippe Le Tallec (Daniel Auteuil) has lived in the U.S., thousands of miles distant from his daughter Eglantine (Juliette Lamboley). In time, circumstances dictate that Philippe must return to the States to assume guardianship of Eglantine. He anticipates forging a deep and meaningful paternal-filial relationship with her, but fails to anticipate her many preoccupations, including wild partying, boys, and tightly-knit bonds with her girlfriends - preoccupations that threaten to drive a wedge in-between father and daughter. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Juliette Lamboley, (more)
Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself in this meta-crime comedy that finds him garnering mores headlines than he's had in years after stumbling into an in-progress bank heist. Down and out, with only straight-to-DVD titles under his belt and a recent job lost out to fellow has-been Steven Seagal, the aging action star returns to Belgium a broken man fresh from losing a custody case for his daughter in Hollywood. Upon his arrival, the bad news continues with a disastrous ATM encounter that leads him into the bank and straight into a robbery situation, for which he's about to be blamed. Soon, crowds grow outside on the street, with the cops quick to point the finger at him and his fans cheering for his release. The film garnered a cult following during its festival run and awarded Van Damme his first theatrical release in the States in almost a decade. ~ Jeremy Wheeler, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jean-Claude Van Damme, Francois Damiens, (more)
- 1999
French filmmaker Manuel Boursinhac directs this bleak, gritty film about addiction and redemption. Fledging writer Eric (Vincent Elbaz) and his girlfriend (Laurence Cote) consort with junkie thieves. After getting busted by the cops for drug possession, he chooses to enter rehab over going to prison. Helped by his sympathetic roommate and his writing muse, Eric finds temporary relief from the pain of withdrawal. Un pur moment de rock 'n' roll was screened at the 1999 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vincent Elbaz, Nicolas Abraham, (more)
- 1998
French novelist Vincent Ravalec made his directorial debut with this French drama about small-time crook Gaston (Yvan Attal) who poses as a millionaire after he picks up hitchhiking 16-year-old Marie-Pierre (Virginie Lanoue). Actually living in a seedy apartment, Gaston deals in stolen goods, but he soon climbs to bigger heists, including car thefts. Concealing his illegal activities, Gaston operates his company, Extramill, out of upscale, posh offices, while he and Marie-Pierre move into a sedate upper-middle-class neighborhood. Life is sweet, but the onset of paranoia, kinky sex activities, and police probes eventually culminate in violence. Shown in the Cinemas en France section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Yvan Attal, Virginie Lanoue, (more)
