Les Miserables (no, not that one)

[RobW]

Just seen this at the Arthouse in Crouch End (buying my ticket before seeing that my local Cineworld was also showing it, which would have cost me nowt). First feature film of Ladj Ly, set in the Paris suburb of Montfermeil where Ly grew up.
It opens with young Parisians watching and celebrating the World Cup triumph in 2018, and then switches to a team of three cops who patrol the suburb, one of whom has moved to Paris from the countryside. The new cop gets lectured on the local groups within Montfermeil, and how the police deal with trouble in the neighbourhood. In some respects it echoes Training Day, and in its gritty realism a lot of it reminded me of The Wire (as with The Wire, the young kids are brilliant). Thought it was well worth a watch, particularly before La Haine is re-issued next week.

[Ray de Galles]

Finally saw this tonight, my wife and daughter saw it on the brief theatrical release last year and raved about it. My daughter is studying 'La Haine' as part of her French A Level so watched that on it's anniversary cinematic run and was recommended 'Les Miserables' by her teacher as a companion piece. Having seen both at home in the last few weeks, I think the newer film is the superior one.

It's unbearably tense, fantastically shot, edited & scored and the dialogue & characterisation are remarkably assured & nuanced for the director Ladj Ly's feature debut. Many of the cast appear to be very new to acting so the performances are even more remarkable.

Well worth seeing, one of (if not the) most impressive film(s) I've seen so far this year.