貧しい大学生ミシェルは、ふとしたきっかけで、自分にスリの才能があることを発見する。一度は刑事に捕まったものの、証拠不十分で釈放されるや、再び他人の財布を狙い出す。やがてその手口は、仲間を引き込んだ組織的なものになっていった……。「抵抗」では“脱獄”をリアルにスリリングに描いたＲ・ブレッソンが、今度はその焦点を“スリ”に当てた作品で、実際の手口を紹介しながら、人間不信の孤独な青年の姿を描く。素人ばかりの出演者から生まれるリアリティと、様々なスリの描写によって生み出されるサスペンスが混然となった迫真の傑作だ。
AIが作品の魅力を深く読み解いています
Martin LaSalle is really quite effective here as the small time pickpocket ("Michel"), who just about manages to get by, from day to day, wearing the same suit and living in his one room garret where even the door doesn't lock. He spends his time with friend "Jacques" (Pierre Leymarie) with both taking a bit of shine to "Jeanne" (Marika Green) who is a neighbour to his rapidly declining mother (Dolly Scal). To be honest, not a great deal actually goes on in this observational slice of his life offered to us by Robert Bresson. We learn a little of the deft arts of his trade and of the techniques used by the police - not least the wily "Inspecteur" (Jean Pélégri) with whom he has a bit of a cat and mouse dance throughout this 75 minute drama - to catch his like! For the most part it is enjoyable but somewhat simple; the photography provides us with an intimacy that helps immerse us into the scenarios more personally. We are like a fly on the wall getting a sense of what drives this rather sad, unsatisfied, figure content to take perpetual risks just to get a crust; almost inviting discovery as his life seems devoid of much purpose. It's not even as if there seems to be much of an adrenalin rush as he carries out his petty larceny and/or avoids capture! The dialogue and music accompaniment are sparing, we are left to follow this rather episodically constructed piece of cinema using that detailed imagery and our own imagination - and that works really quite well. A fine example of less is more, this - and well worth a watch.
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