Description

L’ennemi naturel 2004
1h 37min | Drama | 8 December 2004 (France)

Storyline:

A young nebbish but knowing police inspector sent on a French commune to investigate the death of a teenage boy must contend with the unfriendly locals who are either prejudiced against him or reluctant in helping him solve the case.

User review:

Strictly freudienne for a story that can be expected coming out of a small town, not much complexity but it makes it up for the charm.

The magnetic presence of Mr. Tanguy, and before I become tempted in trying to be a wise-ass, which I don’t, and start to playing with or throwing various euphemisms and be found out to be subconsciously obsessing over someone else’s “assets”, I’d have to say that given the story is a black-and-white, by-the-book police procedural, decent if not predictable, even I can’t help but be entranced by the charm exuded by a clothed Mr. Recoing in portraying a shallow, vacuous grieving father. I can see where his character’s insecurity comes from (there should’t be any) but I have to say that his performance working on such a limited character dealing with sex addition, the performance is respectably adequate enough, to say the least.

And I can also imagine why Lt. Luhel chose to risk it all and let himself carried away and enraptured by Tanguy (I sure would be), a believable performance sincerely depicted by Mr. Lespert. Ridiculous as it might seem for me how the character Lespert chose to resolve this, I understand his reasons, it’s what the story and the character dictates, and indeed there are people like that, I guess, having beliefs not fastened securely on a strong foundation, bound to be torn down easily.

Director: Pierre Erwan Guillaume (as Pierre-Erwan Guillaume)
Writers: Pierre Erwan Guillaume (scenario and dialogue) (as Pierre-Erwan Guillaume), Zoé Galeron (scenario collaborator)
Stars: Jalil Lespert, Aurélien Recoing, Patrick Rocca
Country: France | UK
Language: French
Release Date: 8 December 2004 (France)
Also Known As: Animal
Filming Locations: Brittany, France