Fred has too much time on his hands. A slice-of-life drama about an unemployed crane operator curled around the pursued-pursuer story convention, this French film playing at the 33rd annual Chicago International Film Festival is a well-crafted demi-entertainment, a character study and canny insight into what havoc social forces can wreak on an individual.
In "Fred", Vincent Lindon stars as the title character, a thirtysomething crane operator who has been out of work for nearly two years. A life of leisure on the slim pickings of the dole does not appeal either to Fred or his fellow construction mates, all of whom have been laid off. Fred fills his days doing minor housework chores for his wife Lisa (Clotile Courau), a receptionist whose ardor for Fred is still of honeymoon dimension. Being a househusband for his wife and daughter is not Fred's idea of a rightful position, no modern-guy he.
Using boys-will-be-boys psychology, Fred and his mates spend their days pubbing or swilling beer, which invariably leads to fights and minor hooliganism. Admittedly, Fred has a lot of energy, and if usual social and professional avenues do not offer outlets, he reverts to puerile adolescence. Most interesting -- both amusing as well as sobering -- Fred and his fellow dolers act much like schoolboys at the end of summer vacation, bored and boisterous.
A smart depiction of present-day unemployment malaise in France, "Fred" conveys the personal frustration of such a predicament and does so in an engaging fashion. Screenwriters Pierre Jolivet and Simon Michael rotate Fred's roustabout ways around a gripping plot line -- Fred seems circumstantially guilty of killing a friend with whom he had previously come to blows. Using this prototypical Hitchcockean structure to full advantage, director Jolivet constructs an intelligent and lively escapade, one pinioned by credible and current social conditions.
"Fred" stands tallest in its production design, however. Credit Jolivet and Sylvie Salmon for their articulate and telling visualizations. In the cement, tract-dwelling unit in which Fred wastes his days, we see the barrenness of his life, one literally gridded into a captive-like condition.
The performances are also well-drawn, particularly Lindon as the hyperactive and sometimes foolish Fred and Courau as his frisky but steadfast wife. Special praise to Francois Berleand as a cynical and sotted investigator.
FRED
Le Studio Canal Plus
Les Films Alain Sarde
Director Pierre Jolivet
Producer Alain Sarde
Screenwriters Pierre Jolivet,
Simon Michael
Executive producer Alain Sarde
Associate producers Bertrand Tavernier,
Frederic Bourboulon
Director of photography Patrick Blossier
Production designer Sylvie Salmon
Editor Luc Barnier
Sound Pierre Excoffier, William Flageollet
Casting Luce Gregory
Costume designer Valerie Posso di Borgo
Music Serge Perathoner, Jannick Top
Color/stereo
Cast:
Fred Vincent Lindon
Lisa Clotile Courau
Barrere Francois Berleand
Michel Stephane Jobert
Nouchi Roschdy Zem
Yvan Albert Dray
Corinne Carine Lemaire
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
In "Fred", Vincent Lindon stars as the title character, a thirtysomething crane operator who has been out of work for nearly two years. A life of leisure on the slim pickings of the dole does not appeal either to Fred or his fellow construction mates, all of whom have been laid off. Fred fills his days doing minor housework chores for his wife Lisa (Clotile Courau), a receptionist whose ardor for Fred is still of honeymoon dimension. Being a househusband for his wife and daughter is not Fred's idea of a rightful position, no modern-guy he.
Using boys-will-be-boys psychology, Fred and his mates spend their days pubbing or swilling beer, which invariably leads to fights and minor hooliganism. Admittedly, Fred has a lot of energy, and if usual social and professional avenues do not offer outlets, he reverts to puerile adolescence. Most interesting -- both amusing as well as sobering -- Fred and his fellow dolers act much like schoolboys at the end of summer vacation, bored and boisterous.
A smart depiction of present-day unemployment malaise in France, "Fred" conveys the personal frustration of such a predicament and does so in an engaging fashion. Screenwriters Pierre Jolivet and Simon Michael rotate Fred's roustabout ways around a gripping plot line -- Fred seems circumstantially guilty of killing a friend with whom he had previously come to blows. Using this prototypical Hitchcockean structure to full advantage, director Jolivet constructs an intelligent and lively escapade, one pinioned by credible and current social conditions.
"Fred" stands tallest in its production design, however. Credit Jolivet and Sylvie Salmon for their articulate and telling visualizations. In the cement, tract-dwelling unit in which Fred wastes his days, we see the barrenness of his life, one literally gridded into a captive-like condition.
The performances are also well-drawn, particularly Lindon as the hyperactive and sometimes foolish Fred and Courau as his frisky but steadfast wife. Special praise to Francois Berleand as a cynical and sotted investigator.
FRED
Le Studio Canal Plus
Les Films Alain Sarde
Director Pierre Jolivet
Producer Alain Sarde
Screenwriters Pierre Jolivet,
Simon Michael
Executive producer Alain Sarde
Associate producers Bertrand Tavernier,
Frederic Bourboulon
Director of photography Patrick Blossier
Production designer Sylvie Salmon
Editor Luc Barnier
Sound Pierre Excoffier, William Flageollet
Casting Luce Gregory
Costume designer Valerie Posso di Borgo
Music Serge Perathoner, Jannick Top
Color/stereo
Cast:
Fred Vincent Lindon
Lisa Clotile Courau
Barrere Francois Berleand
Michel Stephane Jobert
Nouchi Roschdy Zem
Yvan Albert Dray
Corinne Carine Lemaire
Running time -- 85 minutes
No MPAA rating...
- 10/15/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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