Best movie ever!

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

Amazing worth wacthing. So good. Biased but well made with many good points.

The thing I enjoyed most about the film is the fact that it doesn't shy away from being a super-sized-cliche;

This is a typical Claude Chabrol study of the intricacies of human deception, betrayal, failures of self and of others. It weaves a wide web of intrigue, and who is the murderer is a question which almost drowns in the mire of human weaknesses which Chabrol's relentless scalpel peels away, layer by layer, in his surgical manner. The film, set on the coast of Britanny, is brilliantly directed, as usual. And the actors in this ensemble film are all superb, also as usual. Probably the outstanding performance is by Jacques Gamblin as the limping artist suffering from a prolonged case of painter's block. His wife is sturdy Sandrine Bonnaire, a district nurse. Her performance is excellent, as usual, but the makeup person overdid her eyebrows far too much! Ever since his serious accident some years before, he has experienced a collapse of morale, and she keeps him going and also brings home the bacon. Meanwhile, she is flirty with an odious, arrogant man who is a visitor to their town, with whom she then commences an affair. Where would a Chabrol film be without an affair? Who killed the young girl? Who is sleeping with whom? Who has the hard heart of a killer and who merely seems to? Will the Gamblin and Bonnaire marriage crack up, or will it survive? Chabrol has his usual fun mystifying us, perplexing us, teasing us, depressing us, and putting us in our place. His main purpose often seems to be to prove to us, with almost mathematical precision, that we are all in the grip of an incomprehensible Fate, that there is murder around every corner or behind every bush, that no alliance or marriage is safe, that betrayal lurks in every heart, that we all have terrible secrets (and if we don't, what's wrong with us?) which will devour us from within, and that every situation is so complex we need to be able to solve partial differential equations for non-linearities even to begin to figure out anything at all. And even then we will still be lost and wandering in a maze of extra dimensions! The amazing Jacques Gamblin of this film appears in Chabrol's last film before his death in 2010, INSPECTOR BELLAMY (2009, see my review), where he plays three characters at once. But Gamblin's performance here is even better than those.

Rene Sterne, a painter living in a Brittany coastal town, has resorted to taking private students that he guides in the art of drawing. A small girl is seen with Rene as the film begins. As she finishes for the day, the girl is sent home, but she never makes it. Her body will be found in a forest area not far from the Sterne's home, where she was left by a criminal who raped her. All eyes focus on Rene as the police comes to investigate.The painter is married to Vivianne, a physical therapist. They seem to be happy in their environment until Rene is questioned about his possible involvement with the crime. Vivianne wants him to cooperate because she believes in her husband, a man with a bad leg whose work is not selling. The new police inspector is Frederique Lesage, a Parisian woman. Being new to the area, she relies on her colleague Inspector Loudun, a practical man who knows the area better.Into this milieu walks a wealthy author, Germain Desmot, who lives in the vicinity. He has sent Vivianne a copy of his latest novel. It is clear Desmot likes Vivianne. He realizes she is somewhat dowdy with the things she wears. He goes as far to suggest she will look stunning in blue. Rene, is the background, seems to resent the familiarity between his wife and the sophisticated man. He has reasons to be because Vivianne has agreed to meet Desmot in a hotel. She lies to Rene, although the tryst turns out to be a failure.One night while Germain Desmot has been at the Sternes, he drinks too much, being unable to drive, Rene offered a boat ride to his house. When Desmot's body is found by a maid in a sort of courtyard, brings Inspectors Lesage and Loudun to the scene. Death was caused by a heart attack.Claude Chabrol directed this psychological study about a tormented man. The director co-wrote the screenplay with Odile Barski, his usual collaborator. The last part of Mr. Chabrol film legacy is not as interesting as his earlier period. In spite of that, this film shows Cabrol in a sobering mood. The girl's murder is only a distraction that resonates with Rene because he is made a suspect for doing it. Rene realizes Vivianne's infidelity, but he never says anything about what he knows happened between her and Desmot. At the end it is Vivianne who comes out stronger as her husband falls into depression for a crime he might, or might not have committed.Jacques Gamblin gives a good performance as Rene. Sandrine Bonaire had a bigger role in Chabrol's more satisfying film "La Ceremonie", she has a limited opportunity in this film to shine, but her Vivianne is a complex character. Antoine De Caunes is perfectly suave as Desmot. Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi's inspector is not one of the best things she has done in the cinema.Eduardo Serra, the man who was closely associated with Claude Chabrol was the cinematographer. Mr. Serra gets the right atmosphere of the small Brittany town in the off season. The musical score is credited to Mathieu Chabrol, the director's son. This film should be seen by all Chabrol's fans. While not one of his best, it shows the director at a different period of his long career.

For Claude Chabrol,a cinéaste who has made over 50 films,this film must be like one of his loving children.However,his admirers might view it in a different light as it might appear as a minor work for them but many serious viewers would nevertheless feel that there are some nice things to observe in this film.Au coeur du mensonge is a film about people who are grappling with truths and lies in their lives.This film is more of a character study even though it is true that there are two crimes depicted in the film.These vile acts are merely a pretext for small town people to talk of pretentiousness and infidelity.Au coeur du mensonge is also a story about two artists;one of them is a fake and other one is not so sure of his inherent abilities.There is also a woman in their midst who is torn between these two men.The message of this film is simple:To understand a lie,one has to go to its heart.When we watch Sandrine Bonnaire and Jacques Gamblin, we realize that the truth is not so complicated as it is always visible on surface level.

***SPOILERS*** ***SPOILERS*** One of Claude Chabrol's poorest offerings,this movie is near plagiarism:it sometimes recalls Edouard Molinaro's "La mort de Belle" from George Simenon.The teacher unfairly suspected of a crime who commits another crime :it's all there in Molinaro's 1963 movie featuring the great Jean Desailly.So why bother?Chabrol even copies himself:the ending looks like that of "juste avant la nuit" (1971)."Juste avant la nuit" ,though inferior to "la femme infidèle" "que la bête meure","le boucher" or "la rupture" boasted a wonderful cast:Bouquet and Audran.Here,what have we?Sandrine Bonnaire,totally incredible as a doctor,Bulle Ogier,a grotesque matron,and Antoine de Caunes ,an "actor" generally cast in some ponderous French comedies.Fortunately,he dies half an hour before the end,what a relief! The actress playing the cop should enter the Guiness book of Records as the worst performer of a police officer in history:how lucky they are,the ones who see the movie dubbed in English.Her voice and her swagger are comic at best,unbearable in the long run.I really wonder how she passed the audition.Along with this one ,some of Chabrol's films to avoid at any cost:"folies bourgeoises" ,"les magiciens","les innocents aux mains sales";and the ones that should be restored to favor:"l'enfer" and "masques".