Le Premiere Cercle

Actor Jean Reno has a special place in a lot of cineastes' hearts. He has managed to make a career playing characters with a hard edge, but who ultimately proves to be "good" at heart. He has a screen presence that is hard to ignore with a gruff voice that sells the dark cloud with the silver lining aura. It is therefore surprising that he has yet to tackle a purely villainous role. Perhaps it's a personal choice, but with is abilities and that piercing countenance, he has surely been offered such characters. It is therefore quite fortuitous to have learned of this film in which he plays the godfather of a ruthless crime syndicate in control of the underworld in Southern France.

The Malakian clan, a family of Armenian gangsters, is lead by the brilliant and violent godfather Milo Malakian who rules his world with an iron fist. His son and heir, Anton, dreams of breaking free in order to live out his love for Elodie, a clan outsider, and make his own choices.
But the gang's inner circle is engraved in blood. To escape, not only does Anton have to counter his own destiny, but also the man who has sworn to bring his father down: Inspector Saunier. A struggle to the death ensues around the audacious and spectacular heist that the Malakian clan is preparing as its final job.

From this synopsis, the film seems to tread over well known themes in gangster films, especially those from Hong Kong. Regardless, the film may finally give Reno the opportunity to express some true, wicked menace, though the fatherly angle might rub away some of the charcoal of his heart to reveal that familiar "silver lining." Even in such a case, let's hope the silver is a little more tarnished this time.

Source: Allocine France