“The Musicians,” “The Erasure”… Cinema releases for Wednesday, May 7

♦ The Musicians ***

by Gregory Magne

French film, 1 hour 42 minutes

In a castle, a week of tense rehearsals brings together a string quartet of musicians with conflicting egos, led by Astrid Thompson (Valérie Donzelli), a wealthy heiress who has formed the group for a special concert. To restore harmony, she calls on Charlie Beaumont, composer of the piece they are to perform, who will have the difficult task of teaching the concertgoers to listen to one another again.

Director Grégory Magne skillfully portrays the world of music and its human tensions, blending emotion, comedy, and precision. The Musicians stands out for its precise interpretation, carried by actor-musicians who actually play their instruments, and by an original soundtrack by Grégoire Hetzel.

» READ THE REVIEW: “The Musicians,” in search of the perfect chord

♦ The Erasure**

by Karim Moussaoui

French film, 1 hour 33 minutes

In L'Effacement , adapted from Samir Toumi's novel, Karim Moussaoui explores the malaise of an Algerian generation crushed by the authoritarian legacy of their fathers, heroes of independence. The film follows Réda, a self-effacing and submissive young man, living in the shadow of a powerful father, until family disgrace forces him to confront his own inexistence.

Driven by an oppressive atmosphere and dark hues, The Erasure blends symbolism and a touch of fantasy to evoke the loss of identity. While the attempt to flirt with the genre is interesting, it remains too timid to truly renew the format.

» READ THE REVIEW: “The Erasure”: The Weight of Fathers

♦ Rumors, sleepless night at the summit *

by Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson and Galen Johnson

Canadian-German film, 1 hour 43 minutes

In this surreal tale combining a G7 summit with an invasion of the undead, Rumours depicts leaders cut off from the world and confronting their existential void. Starring Cate Blanchett, this strange film oscillates between absurdity, humor, and visual experimentation, but ultimately disorients due to a lack of real purpose, despite a brilliant cast and an unashamedly kitsch aesthetic.

» READ THE REVIEW: “Rumours, a sleepless night at the top”, the emptiness of the powerful

♦ In bad faith *

by Albéric Saint-Martin

French film, 1 hour 34 minutes

Perhaps inspired by the success of Qu'est-ce qu'on a fait au bon Dieu? and its spin-offs, Saje, a company specializing in the distribution of Christian-inspired films, has chosen comedy for its first French production. The story is about an old-fashioned French notary , "practicing but not believing," who lacks funds to renovate the family château and seeks to push his daughter into the arms of a somewhat bohemian artist, the putative heir to an immense fortune, on the condition that he attest to his Catholic faith.

Set against the backdrop of a pilgrimage to Paray-le-Monial and a gentle satire of "Catholics," the script, with its hackneyed misunderstandings and crude caricatures, struggles to get off the ground despite the obvious goodwill of its actors, led by Pascal Demolon. The film, as old-fashioned as its characters—it looks like it came straight out of the 1970s—also suffers from poor direction.