Nicolas Abraham Movies
- 2007
The struggling father of a family on welfare discovers that the cosmetic cream given to him as a Christmas gift by his wife has the power to make him instantly irresistible to everyone around him in a comedy that proves there's always a price to pay for fame. François Mangin is in desperate need of a job to support his family. When the head of the business François just interviewed at proves unable to decide between him or another, equally qualified candidate, he tells the two applicants to decide between themselves who should land the only available sales position at the company. As the competition to win the job heats up, François finds himself gaining an edge over his adversary due to a most unusual development: every time François applies the nondescript facial cream that his wife gave him as a Christmas gift, he is instantly transformed into a superstar in the eyes of everyone around. Suddenly, people on the street are stopping to stare at François, investors are eager to hear his ideas, and beautiful women find him completely irresistible. Of course this is all great for François' career, though when his rival for the job discovers the secret of his success, it's only a matter of time before the tables are turned. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laurent Legeay, Marie-Anne Pauly, (more)
- 2002
With Laurent Cantet's Time Out (L'Emploi du Temps) as an inspiration, actress-turned-director Nicole Garcia's fourth feature film, L'Adversaire, is a fictionalized account of what may have gone through the mind of real-life serial killer Jean-Claude Romand. Daniel Auteuil portrays Jean-Marc Faure, who, like Romand, had fooled his friends, family, and the bank for 18 years. Though those who knew Faure believed he was a physician employed by the World Health Organization in Geneva, he actually had no qualifications for the position, and had never held a real job. As part of the façade, Faure commuted to Switzerland daily, and obviously knew his way around the WHO. However, he had no job to perform there. Though he acquired an enormous overdraft at the bank, they believed he was a well-known doctor, and incorrectly assumed he would repay them shortly. Nearly two decades after his original untruth, Faure is nearly found out. Rather than enduring the shame of his long-time fraud, Faure opts to murder his wife, children, and parents. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Daniel Auteuil, Géraldine Pailhas, (more)
- 2001
Novelist and filmmaker Jose Giovanni turned to the remarkable true story of how his father helped him escape a date with the guillotine for this drama, which is based closely on events from his own life. During World War II, Manu (Vincent Lecoeur, as a character Giovanni modeled after himself) fought with the French Resistance, but near the end of the war he fell into a life of crime, and in 1947, 22-year-old Manu was arrested for his part in a bungled robbery that left a man dead. While Manu did not pull the fatal trigger, he refuses to say who did, since it would mean implicating his uncle, one of the few members of his family who has stood by him; Manu's brother is dead, and he turned his back on his father Joe (Bruno Cremer) years ago. Manu is sentenced to death, and while he protests his innocence, his attempts to escape from prison do little to convince anyone that he's telling the truth. To keep himself sane while waiting on Death Row, Manu begins writing a novel, but unknown to him, the father he will not speak with has been researching his son's case, and spends the better part of the next four years searching for a way to prove his son's innocence and earn him a clemency that would set him free. In real life, Jose Giovanni was unaware of his father's role in his release from prison until after his death; years later, Giovanni wrote an acclaimed biography of his father's own remarkable life, which included a very successful career as a professional gambler and a spell as official translator to renowned U.S. general "Black Jack" Pershing during World War I. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Bruno Cremer, Vincent Lecoeur, (more)
- 1999
- NR
Mille Bornes is a road movie about the friends of the deceased Romain who want to respect his last wishes, which were delivered in the form of a videocassette. Their ordeals involve stealing Romain's corpse from the hospital. They are well aware of the implications of this criminal act, but they feel it is necessary to ease their conscience. Romain's father agrees to go along, considering it a form of pilgrimage. Mille Bornes is not a comedy; it does not retort to pathos or clichés but tries to deliver the story with emotion. Two lesser known actors, Emma De Caunes and Bruno Solo, carry their roles with conviction, while Roberto Herlitzka shines as the father of the deceased Romain. ~ Gönül Dönmez-Colin, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma de Caunes, Pierre Berriau, (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)
