Beau Travail
1999
***
Director: Claire Denis
Cast: Denis Lavant, Michel Subor, Grégoire Colin, Richard Courcet, Nicolas Duvauchelle, Adiatou Massudi, Marta Tafesse-Kattan, Dan Herzberg, Alex Descas, Djédjé Apali
A group of French Foreign Legion soldiers are stationed in Djibouti. Sergeant Galoup allows his jealousy and repressed emotions towards a young and popular recruit to get the better of him. Claire Denis' highly rated drama explores masculinity and alienation. The film is beautifully shot and scored, but its weak characterisation and nearly plotless narrative failed to fully engage me. Based loosely on Herman Melville’s 1888 novella Billy Budd.
