Genealogies of a Crime (Généalogies d'un crime) (1997)
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80% of critics liked it
(5 reviews) -
61% of users liked it
(148 ratings)
Raul Ruiz directed this typically eccentric look at the nature of crime, the human mind, and life in the modern world. Solange (Catherine Deneuve) is a defense attorney with a reputation for taking on cases that can't be won -- and proving it by losing them. Her latest lost cause is Rene (Melvil… More Raul Ruiz directed this typically eccentric look at the nature of crime, the human mind, and life in the modern world. Solange (Catherine Deneuve) is a defense attorney with a reputation for taking on cases that can't be won -- and proving it by losing them. Her latest lost cause is Rene (Melvil Poupaud), a young man on trial for murdering his Aunt Jeanne (also played by Deneuve), a cruel psychiatrist who raised him as a child and was convinced from infancy that he was destined for a life of crime. While Rene would seemingly need a good lawyer in his situation, he prefers instead to play games with Solange's mind and finds unlikely allies in a strange society of French and Belgian psychologists, headed by Georges (Michel Piccoli), who seems crazier than anyone he's treating. Solange, however, finds herself falling in love with Rene, which only makes a difficult situation more unpleasant for everyone. Through a series of layered flashbacks, we're shown Rene's crime several times from a number of perspectives, which ultimately makes his actions seem more vague with each repetition. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Directed By
- Raoul Ruiz
- Written By
- Raoul Ruiz, Pascal Bonitzer
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Mystery & Suspense
- In Theaters
- Mar 27, 1998 Wide
- On DVD
- Apr 19, 2005
Critic Reviews
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Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
I found the film's mystery strangely compelling, no doubt helped by Deneuve's radiant presence.
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Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Incomprehensible puzzler.
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Ed Kelleher, Film Journal International
Elegantly creepy one minute and cheerfully absurdist the next, Genealogies of a Crime is lively and inventive, suggesting that there is more going on here than meets the eye.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Catherine Deneuve
as Solange
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Michel Piccoli
as Georges Didier
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Melvil Poupaud
as Rene
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Andrzej Seweryn
as Christian
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Bernadette Lafont
as Esther
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Hubert Saint-Macary
as Verret
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Monique Melinaud
as Louise
- Camila Mora
- Jean-Yves Gautier
- Mathieu Amalric
- Monique Melinand
- Patrick Modiano