Directed by:
Olivier MarchalCinematography:
Denis RoudenCast:
Daniel Auteuil, Gérard Depardieu, André Dussollier, Roschdy Zem, Valeria Golino, Daniel Duval, Francis Renaud, Catherine Marchal, Guy Lecluyse, Alain Figlarz (more)Plots(1)
In the underbelly of the Parisian criminal world, the Police are frustrated by a gang committing a series of violent robberies. Leo Vrinks and Denis Klein are two cops seeking promotion and the imminent departure of the Chief sets the scene for them to compete for the vacant throne. (MUBI)
Videos (1)
Reviews (8)
36th Precinct gives you a whiff of the good old days, when all those Gabins, Venturas and Delons were swarming in front of French movie cameras. On the one hand, we have an excellent central pair of actors, a coldly raw story (which may turn out well, but may just as well turn into a tragic slaughter) and an unenviable oppressive atmosphere. On the other hand, there is an effort by the director and screenwriter(s) to make the film "watchable" for everyone, including the younger generation, and so the calm pace is disturbed by almost unnecessary action inserts for my taste.... And as much as I'd like to, I won't give it a fifth star for that. Nevertheless, the film is excellent. And I especially bow to Depardieu.
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This is an old-fashioned (in the good sense of the word) crime flick about a duel of characters rather than firearms. Depardieu suits the role of the villain as if it was created specifically for him, the supporting characters make sense, and there’s not a single hole in the plot, which is not in any way complicated. Police action in a respectable and intelligent European package. The only drawback is a few overly sentimental and drawn-out scenes, which make the film seem longer than it actually is.
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You can't expect a bad film from Olivier Marchal. Department 36 is an excellent French crime thriller focusing more on rivalry and backstabbing between cops, but all this is so gripping that the film won't let you breathe a sigh of relief, and all this accompanied by an excellent cast (the film has all the stars from France, only Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno are missing). I've never seen a better police story. Very good. 80%.
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It is absolutely necessary to engage in the creators' game – 36th Precinct is a very tough crime story from the old school, set in a modern visual style. Those who do not accept this will be bored. Although I also experienced it in the beginning and was surprised by the high average rating here, over time it becomes increasingly easier to believe in Gerard Depardieu's cold eyes that ominous desire for power, and on the contrary, to deduce from Daniel Auteil's that despite all his unacceptable transgressions, at his core he is about doing good. This makes the twists in the final act have an even greater impact on the viewer, where at several points I admired how uncompromising the screenwriters were.
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The professional experience of a cop and the talent of a filmmaker (bravo Marchale!) combine to create a compelling crime drama that reminded me in its mood of the old Delon movies and the crime films made in France in the 1970s. The film stands on an engaging plot, the excellent performances of two of the most prominent personalities of French cinema today (I like Auteuil more and more from film to film, and Depardieu is very believable as a villain) and a raw realistic atmosphere starting with solidly shot action scenes and ending with the production design. French cinema as I like it is still alive!! Fuck Besson’s disposable production prefabs :)
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