Picturesque, bureaucracy-dominated Brussels is probably not on the top of many lists of cities likely to serve as a setting for an exciting crime film. But this Francophone drama just goes to prove that, given enough moody lamplit street scenes, well-designed stunts and chase sequences and a bit of imagination, any city will work. It’s even more impressive a feat in that it is co-writer-director Michiel Blanchart’s first feature, and yet it feels confident, inventive and as grippy as duct tape throughout.
The protagonist is Mady Bala (Jonathan Feltre, displaying impressive subtlety and physical prowess), a young, independent locksmith who stays up all night on call in case he’s summoned to help a customer break into their own home. In order to ensure he’s not being used to commit a crime, Mady usually asks to see a callout client’s ID, or at least get paid 250 euros in advance. On the night this all takes place, he lets these precautions slide for Claire (Natacha Krief), a pretty girl who shares his taste for an old chanson he hums while working, who says her money and her wallet are inside the flat. Of course, that’s a big mistake and soon Mady is ensnared by a gang hunting down a stolen fortune, one led by icily efficient boss Yannick (Romain Duris), assisted by thugs Remy (Thomas Mustin) and Theo (Jonas Bloquet). The latter turns out to have just a smidge more humanity, or at least a weak spot, that gives Mady a chance to survive.
Blanchart has mentioned Michael Mann’s Collateral as an influence, and that’s certainly evident, especially in the way the plot turns on a schlubby ordinary guy discovering the capacity within himself to fight back. He even finds the chutzpah to do a little betraying of his own when required, which adds a certain realism. Blanchart keeps the beat steady with a tight rhythm of tension and release, interspersing talky tense bits with bravura action, like a bike ride down the steps of an underground station. It’s all heady enough to keep you distracted from thinking about how this could have all been prevented all this from happening if someone had just paid Mady his 250 euros right at the start.
• Night Call is on digital platforms from 28 April.
