The Crime is Mine

The prolific François Ozon (By the Grace of God; Frantz) is back with The Crime is Mine, a playful comedy/thriller that’s simultaneously a throwback and decidedly modern.

Set in 1935 Paris, the latest adaptation of the 1934 play Mon Crime by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil — and first since 1946’s Cross My Heart — concerns aspiring actress Madeleine Verdier (Nadia Tereszkiewicz) and her fledgling attorney roommate Pauline Mauléon (Rebecca Marder, Someone, Somewhere) cooking up a deliciously brilliant means of rising from poverty to superstardom.

When Madeleine is accused of killing a rape-y producer, the young women hatch a witty defense that showcases their respective skills and gains them attention they otherwise wouldn’t have received. Along the way, Ozon introduces us to comically pathetic love interests, silly clerks and judges, and nosy landladies, all of whom Tereszkiewicz and Marder dance around with the verbal dexterity of His Girl Friday.

But these moves are mere preamble to a delightfully wacky turn by Isabelle Huppert as former silent film idol Odette Chaumette — a joy to hear each time it’s pronounced in full — whose own past threatens to undermine the young women’s ingenious work. Scenes with all three women yield some of The Crime is Mine’s best moments and suggest the relative newcomers could have long, Huppert-like careers ahead.

Ozon keeps these and other interactions cooking with a light directorial touch amidst his usual top-notch production value, including numerous impressively decorated period sets. And though it may seem counterintuitive, the frothy approach actually enhances the material’s feminist message, making it a decent double feature with Barbie.

Grade: B-plus. Rated R. Now playing at Grail Moviehouse

(Photo: Music Box Films)