Le Cousin

They say police officers are only as good as their informants. However, following a scandal, the judge Lambert (Marie Trintignant) cracks down on a dirty cop leading to his suicide. His colleague Gérard (Alain Chabat) takes over the relationship with his informant Nounours (Patrick Timsit), which initially leads to successful busts. However, the level of corruption runs deep and soon the pair must navigate between the unsavoury practices of important players operating on both sides of the law. Alain Corneau, the award-winning director of the period drama Tous les matins du monde, returns to his tried and tested domain of police thriller. The result is a dark and riveting affair, with endearing characterisation, through the exploration of the family lives of the two leads, and an insightful look into a complex world, where the corrupted behaviour of criminals, the authorities and politicians meet. Patrick Timsit (Rue des plaisirs) invests his small-time dealer with humanity, while the renowned TV comic Alain Chabat (La Cité de la peur) proves his versatility via a perfectly delivered dramatic lead. They are ably abetted by an eminent supporting cast, which includes Marie Trintignant (Une affaire de femmes, Ponette), Mehdi (Un amour de pluie, Belle et Sébastien) and Agnès Jaoui (The Taste of Others, Un Air de famille).