24 Mesures

Jalil Lespert’s debut film is a hypnotic tale, which follows the chance encounters between four disparate characters on the night of Christmas Eve.

Helly (Lubna Azabal) is a former junkie trying to get work at a peep show in the quest to reacquire custody of her son. Didier (Benoît Magimel), a taxi driver who has just stolen cash from his company, picks Helly up and offers her money to accompany him on a visit to his hospitalised father. Marie (Bérangère Allaux), a lesbian escaping the suicide threats of her rural mother, escapes to Paris and stumbles across Helly. They go to a night club, where they meet Chris (Sami Bouajila), a drummer seeking revenge for his father’s demise. The unexpected turn of events during the night will stamp a profound impact on their lives.

A talented young actor for the likes of Robert Guédiguian and Laurent Cantet (indeed he was awarded a César for his role in the latter’s Ressources humaines), Jail Lespert has affirmed similar promise behind the camera in this bold 2007 directorial outing. Lespert’s innovative form takes its cue from music, in particular the more free-flowing styles of jazz and blues (from which the title, literally translated as ‘24 bars’, is part inspired). Indeed, one of the roles is played by Archie Sheep, a pioneering free jazz saxophonist.

The narrative and thematic openness to coincidence, improvisation and happenstance are straight out of the school of Cassavetes (Shadows, Faces) or Alejandro Iňárritu (21 Grams, Babel). Lespert’s assured direction handles the wayward style deftly, incrementally divulging pockets of information to create an engrossing portrait of four people over the course of one special night of the year.
The intriguing and damaged protagonists are played brilliantly by a talented, young cast, all with impressive filmographies to date (in particular, Cannes winners Magimel: The Piano Teacher, and Bouajila: Days of Glory).

24 Mesures is proof that contemporary French cinema is alive and fresh.