Inspector Bellamy

Released Oct 29, 2010

1h 50m

Crime

Drama

List

89%

27 Reviews

Tomatometer

37%

1,000+ Ratings

Audience Score

Retired police detective Paul Bellamy (Gérard Depardieu) and his wife, Francoise (Marie Bunel), are on their annual vacation in southern France, but Paul's good-for-nothing half-brother, Jacques (Clovis Cornillac), interrupts the couple's idyllic retreat. Meanwhile, despite protests from his wife, Paul casually drifts into the investigation of a local murder case. As Paul sinks deeper into his work, the tension builds at home between himself, his half-brother and his wife.

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Audience Member

Leisurely paced Chabrol mystery with a great performance by Depardieu.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/27/23

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don s

An extremely slow character study masquerading as a mystery. The mystery is low-key and not very interesting, and the interplay between the brothers, Bellamy and Jacques, was mean-spirited and unentertaining. Depardieu and Bunel are really good here, but not great enough to overcome the limping along story.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It's amazing what a detective movie can do without gunplay.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/23/23

Full Review

Audience Member

*Contains Spoilers* Inspector Bellamy, while it follows the French cinema stereotypes, is one of the most beautiful studies of humanity that I've ever seen. This slow French thriller, is absolutely stunning, in its underlining plot, which is fully revealed at the end. The central message is fairly clear, as inspected through Bellamy the people he surrounds himself with is what he becomes. When his thief half-brother comes to visit, he picks up his drinking habit. When he starts a studying his sexually obsessed "client" he becomes fishy that his wife is cheating. But really the film isn't about him studying anyone, but instead a soul search Of himself. Bellamy becomes Noel, his wife becomes Noel's wife, his brother represents the homeless man, and the store clerk represents the mistress. It really is beautiful when the puzzle comes together. Makes me want to watch more from Depardieu, who fits his character perfectly. A must watch of French cinema.

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

01/12/23

Full Review

Audience Member

not so much a whodunit then it was a drama about humans, relationships. a "thinking" film, not so suited for near bedtime viewing.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Huge disparity between critics and users regarding this film. I think because most go in looking for a murder mystery and that is the secondary plot line. The primary is a character study of Bellamy himself but this is not clear to well into the film or perhaps for some till the end.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

Full Review

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Claude Chabrol

Director

Gérard Depardieu

Paul Bellamy

Clovis Cornillac

Jacques Lebas

Jacques Gamblin

Noël Gentil

Marie Bunel

Françoise Bellamy

Vahina Giocante

Nadia Sancho

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Michael Phillips

Chicago Tribune

It's a small work. Yet it's so pleasurably well-made, so obviously the work of major talents in a comfortable groove, why carp about the scale or ambition of the project?

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 10, 2011

Full Review

Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

If you, like me, are a lover of Simenon's Inspector Maigret, you will find his nature embodied here in the performance of Gerard Depardieu. If you are not, get your hands on a Maigret novel and thank me for the rest of your life.

Rated: 3.5/4

Feb 10, 2011

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Gary Goldstein

Los Angeles Times

A sadly bland footnote to an illustrious and influential career.

Rated: 1/5

Dec 9, 2010

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Martin Tsai

Critic's Notebook

The joy is to watch Mr. Depardieu slipping into it with such effortless charm and charisma even when we fear that seams might burst and buttons might fly at any time.

Oct 7, 2015

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Roger Moore

Movie Nation

Dry, moody -- VERY Chabrol. Depardieu makes it worth watching

Rated: 2.5/4

Jan 22, 2013

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Sean Axmaker

Turner Classic Movies Online

Chabrol's craft, confidence and unshowy professionalism drives this crafty story even as it turns the conventions of the murder mystery inside out.

Mar 25, 2011

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Synopsis

Retired police detective Paul Bellamy (Gérard Depardieu) and his wife, Francoise (Marie Bunel), are on their annual vacation in southern France, but Paul's good-for-nothing half-brother, Jacques (Clovis Cornillac), interrupts the couple's idyllic retreat. Meanwhile, despite protests from his wife, Paul casually drifts into the investigation of a local murder case. As Paul sinks deeper into his work, the tension builds at home between himself, his half-brother and his wife.

Director: Claude Chabrol
Producer: Françoise Galfré
Screenwriter: Odile Barski, Claude Chabrol
Distributor: IFC Films
Production Co: Sofica Europacorp, DD Productions, Sofica Valor 7, CinéCinéma, France 2 Cinema, Canal+, Alicéléo, Région Languedoc-Roussillon, Centre National de la Cinematographie
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 29, 2010, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $105.9K
Runtime: 1h 50m

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