The Night of the 12th

Winner of Best Film at both this year’s César and Lumiere Awards — France’s top two cinematic honors — the cop thriller The Night of the 12th plays like the country’s equivalent of Memories of Murder, and warrants mention in the same sentence as that Bong Joon-ho stunner.

Inspired by real events yet dramatized with consistent engagement in mind, the film makes it clear that viewers are in for something special from the start when director Dominik Moll opens on detective Yohan Vivès (Bastien Bouillon) racing his bicycle all alone around a velodrome. The kinetic shot sets the tone for a visually rich experience, and established nearly as quickly is the grisly, disturbing murder of 21-year-old Clara Royer (Lula Cotton-Frapier) on the titular October day in 2016.

Likewise wasting no time, the investigation ensues and viewers instantly become caught up in the procedural thrills of the law enforcement officers’ quest with each new suspect and nugget of information only deepening the chase’s appeal, creating the exciting sense that they’re always right on the cusp of solving the case.

Adapting Pauline Guéna’s true crime book, Moll and co-screenwriter Gilles Marchand weave in just enough personal details about the cops, particularly Yohan’s partner Marceau (Bouli Lanners, stealing each of his scenes), whose marital woes make him a wild card while on the clock and push his boss into uncomfortable personal and professional territory.

Their colleagues are far less distinguishable, but The Night of the 12th is more about the pursuit of justice, not solely the people involved, and the underdevelopment of supporting characters doesn’t get in the way of the film’s allure.

Grade: A-minus. Not rated, but with adult themes and language and disturbing violence. Now playing at Grail Moviehouse.

(Photo: Fanny de Gouville)