Watch Playing Dead For Free

Purely Joyful Movie!

The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Great story, amazing characters, superb action, enthralling cinematography. Yes, this is something I am glad I spent money on.

A struggling actor is hired for an unusual job : he is supposed to participate in the judicial re-enactment of a vicious murder spree, by performing the role of the victim(s). It soon becomes clear that the actor is both a pedant and a perfectionist, who questions each and every aspect of the investigation. At first his remarks annoy, but later they begin to sink in - for instance, is it possible for someone to approach another man unseen and unheard over a creaking wooden floor ? The question marks with regard to the murders multiply...The main asset of "Je fais le mort" is the intelligent and unusual concept. The execution of the concept does not wholly rise to the challenge, mainly because there is a disconnect between the light-hearted, ironic tone and the violence and sorrow of the events depicted or remembered. Black humor is a delicate mix and here, sadly, there is something wrong about the mix.This does not mean that there is nothing to admire in the movie. I can't say that I like everything lead actor François Damiens has ever done in his career, but here he is both credible and amusing. (Mr. Damiens is a compatriot of mine, which means that he has fallen victim to the dread Belgian Curse : he is well-known and popular in French-speaking Belgium, while most Flemings wouldn't know him from Adam. By the same token there are many talented Flemish comedians completely unknown to French-speaking Belgians. The word you're looking for is "discouraging".) The movie is also nicely atmospheric, evoking the kind of sweet, charming, snow-kissed village where every inhabitant has at least one axe to grind. Last but not least "Je fais" asks some welcome questions about the uses and limitations of tools such as crime re-enactment. A re-enactment is supposed to make people think long and hard, but all too often just the opposite happens, resulting in disgraceful travesties where seasoned criminals perform a few hours of self-serving b.llsh.t (impro for the masses !) or where cowed suspects confirm police theories thought up over some sandwiches and beer.

Well, after nearly 700 reviews and 10 years writing them, i reach the conclusion that there are really two (living) actresses who moves me deeply : outside my homeland, Noomi Rapace is the one and as a French, Geraldine Nakache (and not Pailhas) wins the medal : she can be as gloomy as she can be funny ; she has a sweet voice and she is totally cute ! Here, she teams up with François Damiens and like his Belgium compatriots Poolvorde and De France, he has this little something that makes him simple, natural and engaging. So, reuniting this cast is the guaranteed formula for a great movie for me and they could have done whatever, i will appreciate the result in all cases.But, here, the movie offers an original twist with the recruiting an actor to do criminal re-enactment. This is really a great discovery to play with as the essence of acting is indeed to take place of somebody else. Sure, with this, you can put needful insight for an investigation and the movie really lives on with that. As the game that inspired my title, the audience is caught with solving the crime and identifying the murderer !The definitive excellent inspiration was to choose a splendid and natural location in the high mountains and in addition at the best season (winter). So, the wood building, the snow, the pines are a beautiful change from the usual shooting of Paris and country that french cinema keeps delivering.Thanks for everyone (and especially Geraldine) involved in making this movie a such great gift for this Christmas 2013 !