365 Movies Day #99 "Mesrine: Public Enemy #1"

I know, I said early 100s, but watched it tonight and couldn't wait. While part one was a great film, the second half just blew me away. It was so over the top, it was hard to believe that it's real. Cassel (yesterday's "EASTERN PROMISES", of course the first part of "MESRINE" and "BIRTHDAY GIRL" was even better in this half.

A huge hats off to director Jean-François Richet and writers Abdel Raouf Dafri and Jean-François Richet for such a compelling script and creative storytelling and the cinematography by Robert Gantz is just phenomenal. I'm actually blown away to find out that Gantz was the DP for Dallas the Dallas filmed "Chase" series. If you got to work with him, you were lucky to be working with a gifted artist. His shooting on "Mesrine" was flawless.

They even found a way to make an ending revealed in the first sequence of part one compelling and suspenseful without a gimmicky twist. All filmmakers can take some notes from this film about how to tell a story. I don't think I've seen a crime drama this well done since "The Godfather" and knowing it's true makes it twice as good. Mesrine is the hero of his own story and these films present him for all that he was. All his imperfections, faults, charisma, charm and idealism is laid bare for the viewer. Everything is captured. Phenomenal.

MESRINE: PUBLIC ENEMY #1 ON IMDB