A Self-Made Hero

In the winter of 1944-45 Albert Dehousse (Mathieu Kassovitz) leaves his family and life behind in the north of France for Paris. Having grown up on heroic novels and the belief that his father died courageously in World War Ι, which he recently discovers is untrue, Albert decides to invent his own past of heroic virtue as a member of the Resistance. His charade proves too successful, forcing him to face the grim realities of war up close. Jacques Audiard (award-winning director of Read my Lips and The Beat that my Heart Skipped) offers this bold and unconventional war film as his second feature. In addition to the hard-hitting atrocities of war, A Self Made Hero abounds with humour, wit and subtle parody. The film deftly brings to light issues of memory and history; how subjective, personal and inaccurate they can be, especially during the traumatic time of war. Audiard’s film is an entertaining and important work, calling into question the fixed proclamations of history books and underlining the complexities of the human ego. A deserving winner of the best screenplay award at Cannes, it is a shame Kassovitz (acclaimed director of La Haine) was not primed for his perfect interpretation of the charming yet morally ambiguous protagonist. He is ably assisted by a fine cast, including Sandrine Kiberlain and Jean-Louis Trintignant.