At the request of his niece, a private detective reluctantly investigates the death of his twin brother in The Other Laurens, the second feature from Belgian director Claude Schmitz.
Gabriel (Olivier Rabourdin) is the gruff and somewhat shabby antihero of the film and a private detective specializing in extramarital affairs. When his teenage niece Jade (Louise Leroy) unexpectedly shows up to convince him to investigate the death of her father, Gabriel’s brother François, his attempts to brush her aside fail. Jade won’t take no for an answer and quickly establishes herself as a capable player, able to match his blunt obstinacy and outwit him.
Aside from a lack of conviction that there’s anything suspicious about François’ death, Gabriel has no interest in getting involved in anything to do with his brother, with whom he had long severed ties. Gabriel seems to consider himself the antithesis to his twin, and his deep-rooted issues also create a bias in his perspective of the case.
The police determined that François was drunk-driving, ran off a cliff and then his car burst into flames, killing him. Jade is convinced it was all arranged to look like an accident by her father’s killer(s). Gabriel is more than happy to believe the worst about his brother and let things lie. However, his growing fondness for Jade and his mild curiosity about certain pieces of intrigue (to which Jade largely directs Gabriel) eventually ensnare him. He becomes entangled in an investigation far more complicated than he imagined.
We also get a glimpse into Jade’s life, in which she is surrounded by an overbearing biker gang and a disinterested American stepmother. The biker gang (all men) have long served her father and continue to act as a kind of ‘protection guard’ for Jade, without her input; she has never been free of their surveillance as at least one of them is always stationed nearby on a motorbike. Jade also makes no attempt to hide her contempt and disregard for her stepmother, who reciprocates the feelings with gall. Despite François’ absence in the face of his death, his influence and presence is still felt within the walls of his lavish mansion and in every facet of Jade’s life.
It is perhaps Jade’s loneliness and desperation to be free of the overbearing nature of her surroundings that Gabriel finds relatable, as well as her strength and attitude in the face of her circumstances. It seems like Gabriel, too, had been affected by François’ domineering nature in their younger days and decided to strike out on his own.
It takes a bit of time for the film’s story and characters to settle into themselves, but once they do the film really takes off. The narrative has clever twists and the drama is nicely balanced with humour in this mystery-thriller. It is also effective at experimenting with genre and tropes, subverting film noir elements and mixing deadpan and Shakespearian comedic styles. For example, Gabriel’s gritty PI is perfectly offset by two blundering cops who evoke the fools in Shakespeare’s plays, while the film’s “shoot ‘em up” sequences have absurdist qualities and take place in broad daylight.
Importantly, the film’s imaginative approach to its story and characters also creates space for its young female lead. In tandem with Leroy’s solid performance, the film enables Jade to explore her identity and autonomy and step determinedly out of the shadows of the father figures around her, including Gabriel. Although Jade is a teenager and often acts accordingly, in many ways she demonstrates a maturity and will beyond the adults around her. The film sees the adults stuck in a microcosm of dying dreams while Jade finds a way to break free.
The film’s interesting and aesthetically pleasing style lends itself to its particular blend of whimsical yet gritty appeal. At times the film presents as colourful and neon-bold, other times dusty and in disarray. The characters are layered but also play with tropes, and all the cast members are great as they have fun with their roles, allowing us to have fun too. The balanced narrative approach to sharp, hard-hitting drama and dry, quirky humour infused with a respect for the audience’s intelligence also keeps viewers engaged.
Schmitz, who has worked in theatre and film, co-wrote The Other Laurens with Kostia Testut. The Other Laurens had its world premiere as part of the 2023 Directors’ Fortnight, a parallel section of the Cannes Film Festival that showcases a wide spectrum of films.
© 2020-2023. UniversalCinema Mag.