Film No. 20 (2014) Our Heroes Died Tonight (French) March 28th.

Film No.20 (2014) March 28th. 4:30 LUNA SX Fremantle.

Our Heroes Died Tonight (French)

Sometimes a film, a small film, can really show the potential of a new film maker. Our Heroes shows flashes of brilliance but finally misses the mark because the other flashes are self indulgent. David Perrault weaves some magic with this film but ultimately misses the mark.

I say watch out for Perrault because he captures the finer points of film-noir with precision. His close-ups of characters we want to like but can't, are mesmerising. His clever use of character vs mask as two brothers reverse roles as wrestlers (show men) then collide emotionally, is clever. The film's focus changes depending on who resides over The Black mask; the antagonist.

    

What's this mask thing I hear you ask? Well it revolves around Victor (Denis Menochel) and Simon (Jean- Pierre Matins), brothers who wrestle for a living in the French world of sport. A time when wrestling "is god" and big business. The business is corrupt and the boys take their chances, they swap masks without authority and unfortunately, the bad guys find out.

Simple perhaps, but the undertones of violence, lost loves and finally treachery are profound but became muddled. The black and white texture was key to this noir experience but for me I needed a better reason for all that culminated in the final stanza. 6GUMS.