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Rivals

Play trailer Rivals 2008 1h 46m Action Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
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69% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 43% Popcornmeter 250+ Ratings
François (Guillaume Canet) is a young detective hoping to find a group of bank robbers before they stage their next heist. Though he's ambitious, he's poorly regarded by the rest of the police force, and his relationship with a convict's wife isn't helping matters. Now his life is complicated even further as his older brother, Gabriel (François Cluzet), is released from prison. Though Gabriel has pledged to go straight, the temptations of his former life make it a difficult promise to keep.
Rivals

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Critics Consensus

Atmospheric, 1970s set, French crime drama delivers hard-bitten dialogue and impressive wigs.

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Critics Reviews

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Rosamund Witcher Empire Magazine The setting is a Paris packed with tight leather jackets, big hair and foxy girls, and the action, sex and family drama make for an enjoyable ride. Unfortunately, the denouement is frustratingly abrupt. Rated: 3/5 Dec 5, 2008 Full Review David Jenkins Time Out This frisky if long-winded and derivative French policier never gets off the starting-blocks despite some charismatic performances and intriguingly executed set-pieces. Rated: 2/6 Dec 5, 2008 Full Review James Christopher Times (UK) This being the gritty 1970s, the subtitled dialogue is as hard as nails. The Cain and Abel rivalry unfolds like a dismal episode of Minder. Rated: 3/5 Dec 5, 2008 Full Review Mike Edwards What Culture Why remake a decade? Rated: 2/5 Mar 24, 2011 Full Review David Nusair Reel Film Reviews ...an absorbing crime thriller. Rated: 3/4 Apr 15, 2009 Full Review Trevor Johnston Film4 Although it draws on a real-life memoir, this Gallic crime drama never really gets going. There's potential in the tension between a wavering ex-con and his cop sibling, but the actors seem to have been cast the wrong way round. Rated: 2/5 Dec 5, 2008 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Audience Member It's a beautiful story about two brothers on the opposite side of the law but that love each other deeply in spite of their differences. That's what makes this french movie a good option to watch at home: it touches you and will make you cry, besides the great costumes and scenarios. On the other hand, their love interests are quite amusing but aren't explored in the script the way they deserved, which is a shame. The soundtrack is weak too as Canet's performance. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/20/23 Full Review Audience Member The story, the directing and the actors make it a very good film ... it's just that it really is UNFINISHED!!! Hate the ending, honestly. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/25/23 Full Review Audience Member I love European crime movies and I particularly like European crime movies of the 70s... This movie, although not an out and out crime movie is set in the 70s and explores the tumultuous relationship between two brothers, one a cop and one a criminal. This sort of relationship and interplay has been explored before and this film, while does not offer anything fresh is still an enjoyable affair with good performances Guillame Canet and Franois Cluzet. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Audience Member Du bon cinéma français, bonne reconstitution des années 70 (à part une belle boîte de benco de 2010 :D), et deux acteurs au top ! Dommage qu'il y ait trop de trous dans le script. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Bon polar et un duo Canet et Cluzet excellent! a voir... Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 02/02/23 Full Review Audience Member Deux frères, l'un flic et l'autre bandit, un duo Canet Cluzet dans un polar à la française très correct. Se laisse voir. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/23/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Rivals

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Rivals

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Movie Info

Synopsis François (Guillaume Canet) is a young detective hoping to find a group of bank robbers before they stage their next heist. Though he's ambitious, he's poorly regarded by the rest of the police force, and his relationship with a convict's wife isn't helping matters. Now his life is complicated even further as his older brother, Gabriel (François Cluzet), is released from prison. Though Gabriel has pledged to go straight, the temptations of his former life make it a difficult promise to keep.
Director
Jacques Maillot
Producer
Cyril Colbeau-Justin, Jean-Baptiste Dupont
Screenwriter
Pierre Chosson, Jacques Maillot, Eric Veniard
Production Co
CinéCinéma, France 3 Cinéma, Sofica Europacorp, Umedia, StudioCanal, Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique, LGM Productions, uFilm, 13e Rue, Canal+
Genre
Action, Crime, Drama
Original Language
French (France)
Runtime
1h 46m