The Connection (2014 film)
| Company type | Film |
|---|---|
| Industry | Film industry |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Founder | Cédric Jimenez (director), Alain Goldman (producer) |
| Products | Historical crime action thriller film |
The Connection () is a 2014 historical crime action thriller film helmed by director Cédric Jimenez and produced by Alain Goldman. Drawing inspiration from the 1970s French Connection, the movie features Jean Dujardin portraying police magistrate Pierre Michel, alongside Gilles Lellouche as the drug syndicate leader Gaëtan "Tany" Zampa. The film made its debut at the Toronto International Film Festival on 10 September 2014.
Plot
During the 1970s in Marseille, a merciless drug cartel dominates, trafficking morphine sourced from Turkey, refining it into heroin, and shipping it to New York under the label la French. The gang, headed by Gaëtan Tany Zampa, grows its profits through extortion and robbery. Former Juvenile Court magistrate Pierre Michel joins an organized crime task force but struggles to gather evidence against la French’s operations, receiving minimal backing from Captain Aimé-Blanc's narcotics division.
Following a lead from Lily, a heroin-addicted informant teenager, authorities apprehend Charles Peretti, a former Corsican chemist involved with la French. Peretti declines to cooperate, choosing incarceration over risking his life. In retaliation, the gang murders Lily and her friend Fabrizio Mandonato, who is Peretti's nephew. Michel initiates arrests of la French’s lower-tier members aiming to destabilize the network. One lieutenant known as "Le Fou" breaks allegiance with Tany to claim leadership but is injured amid gang clashes. Le Fou kills two prominent gangsters, triggering Tany’s violent reprisals which include the killings of Le Fou’s girlfriend and innocent bystanders. To halt escalating violence, Michel obtains unauthorized surveillance on those involved, circumventing direct confrontations and successfully detaining Le Fou.
Michel endures significant emotional pressure due to his demanding responsibilities and personal difficulties as his wife grows distant. While surveilling a casino under gang control, he uncovers police corruption: veteran officer Ange Mariette is secretly collaborating with Zampa. Further investigations by officer Alvarez reveal that Mariette heads a corrupt Corsican police faction on Zampa’s payroll. With support from the DEA, Michel arranges for an associate to become a state witness. Tragically, Michel is assassinated because of his crusade; however, Zampa is ultimately captured. Michel receives posthumous recognition for his dedication to combating drug trafficking.
Cast
- Jean Dujardin as Pierre Michel
- Gilles Lellouche as Gaëtan "Tany" Zampa
- Céline Sallette as Jacqueline Michel
- Mélanie Doutey as Christiane Zampa
- Guillaume Gouix as José Alvarez
- Benoît Magimel as Le Fou
- Bruno Todeschini as Le Banquier
- Moussa Maaskri as Franky Manzoni
- Féodor Atkine as Gaston Defferre
- Myriem Akheddiou as Melle Aissani
- Eric Godon as Zampa's lawyer
- Pauline Burlet as Lily
- Pierre Lopez as Jean Paci
- as Robert
- as Marco Da Costa
- Jean-Pierre Sanchez as Fabrizio Mandonato
- as Charles Peretti
- Bernard Blancan as Lucien Aimé-Blanc
- as Ange Mariette
- Patrick Descamps as The prosecutor
Reception
The Connection was met with predominantly favorable critiques. According to Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds a 75% approval rating, averaging 6.5 out of 10 from 69 reviews, described as "a reasonably entertaining thriller in its own right." On Metacritic, it has a score of 67 out of 100, signifying "generally favorable reviews."
Rudolph Herzog of Newsweek commended the movie for its authentic and gritty portrayal of 1970s Marseilles. Liam Lacey from The Globe and Mail characterized it as a "byzantine, if ultimately conventional, heroic tale," assigning it a score of 2.5 out of 4. Ty Burr from the Boston Globe labeled the film "stylish" and well-crafted, also awarding it 2.5 out of 4. Bill Goodykoontz of the Arizona Republic noted some slow moments but found it worthwhile, giving a rating of 3.5 out of 5.
Soren Anderson from the Seattle Times pointed to the film’s brisk tempo, rating it 3 out of 4. Colin Covert at the Minneapolis Star Tribune praised its combination of style and depth, granting a score of 3.5 out of 4. Stephanie Merry from the Washington Post appreciated its gritty true-crime appeal, rating it 3 out of 4.
In contrast, Tom Long from the Detroit News described it as only somewhat engaging, assigning a C− grade. Mick LaSalle of the San Francisco Chronicle found it "riveting" and awarded a flawless 4 out of 4. Cary Darling from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram valued its compelling portrayal of two men, rating it 4 out of 5.
Tom Huddleston from Time Out noted the film’s masculine characters and gave it a score of 3 out of 5. Peter Rainer at the Christian Science Monitor remarked that the villains were more captivating than the heroes but praised Dujardin’s acting with a B grade. Chris Nashawaty from Entertainment Weekly highlighted its electric '70s atmosphere despite losing focus towards the end, awarding a B+. Robert Abele from the Los Angeles Times lauded the leading performances despite calling the screenplay ordinary.
Jeannette Catsoulis from the New York Times found charm in its stylized aspects. Mike D'Angelo at The A.V. Club felt it lacked sufficient energy, giving it a C+. Alan Scherstuhl from the Village Voice described it as "engaging" and "propulsive." Peter Debruge at Variety criticized its conventional narrative style, whereas John DeFore from The Hollywood Reporter praised its intense action scenes and exciting soundtrack as highlights of this procedural epic.
Awards and nominations
| Award / Film Festival | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| César Awards | Best Production Design | Jean-Philippe Moreaux | Template:Nom |
| Best Costume Design | Carine Sarfati | Template:Nom | |
| Lumière Awards | Best Screenplay | Audrey Diwan and Cédric Jimenez | Template:Nom |
| Sarasota Film Festival | Audience Award - World Cinema | Template:Won |