Louise Hires a Contract Killer (Louise-Michel)
France 2008

Opening 24 Sep 2009

Directed by: Gustave de Kervern
Writing credits: Benoît Delépine, Gustave de Kervern
Principal actors: Yolande Moreau, Bouli Lanners, Benoît Delépine, Albert Dupontel, Joseph Dahan

The real Louise-Michel was a 19th century French anarchist and the directors of Louise Hires a Contract Killer, Benoit Deléphine and Gustave Kervern, have launched a film with anarchists of their own making. A factory in Picardy in France has fallen on hard times and overnight the boss has closed up the place and run off. The women factory workers decide to pool their meager compensation money, and Louise (Yolande Moreau) sets out to find a hit man to kill the boss as revenge. She teams up with Michel (Bouli Lanners from Eldorado), another loser type who is the security guard of a desolate trailer park. Together the two stocky-figured characters – who never ever crack a smile – go off to find the boss(es) on a trail that leads them to Brussels and on to the island of Jersey.

Louise and Michel are both physical and mental wrecks, and not only that, but Louise turns out to be a man in disguise and Michel a woman in a man's body. The two loners are a great match for the adventures that make up this black comedy. The filmmakers, however, don't shy away from any inappropriate or politically incorrect references and scenes. So beware (seriously!) – it is probably best to avoid this movie if you are very sensitive (especially if you have lost someone) to the events of 9/11 or if you have had cancer. (Thelma Freedman)