Alleluia is a 2014 Belgian-French psychological thriller directed by Fabrice Du Welz (Calvaire; Vinyan) from a screenplay co-written with Vincent Tavier. It stars Laurent Lucas, Lola Duenas and Helena Noguerra.
Plot:
Retells the classic “lonely hearts” case of Raymond Fernandez and Martha Beck — who targeted single ladies via personal ads, then moved in, stole their money and killed them (previously filmed in 1969 as The Honeymoon Killers and 1996 as Deep Crimson)…
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Reviews:
“Fabrice du Welz’s serial-murder jolly doesn’t quite dramatically press its central relationship enough to prevent the film from devolving at the last into a default bloodbath. But it’s disturbingly credible for a long time, its expert camerawork – all bifurcated faces and heaving pores – seeding the air with claustrophobia around Almodóvar regular Lola Dueñas and Laurent Lucas’ dysfunctional union.” Phil Hoad, The Guardian
“Alleluia may be a remake, butits somber look couldn’t be more original — all the better for the film to spring its nasty surprises on auds, none more unexpected than the way certain shots remain seared into one’s subconscious in the days and weeks that follow.” Peter Debruge,Variety
“Du Welz hardly unveils a simple account of unhinged, obsessive love. His is a demonic hymnal of passion, a darkly droll exercise in the delusory notion of love as an unhealthy obsession told with aggressive flourish. But at its prominent dark heart is an utterly captivating performance from Spanish actress Lola Duenas.” Nicholas Bell, ION Cinema
“The cinematography, courtesy of Manu Dacosse (Amer, Mobile Home) is appropriately gritty and grainy throughout, showcasing Du Welz’s extremely precise mise-en-scene that helps the story move forward both as a narrative and as a character study, with numerous intense close-ups allowing the actors to turn their deranged characters into frighteningly three-dimensional human beings.”Boyd van Hoeij, The Hollywood Reporter
“Du Welz’s film becomes very repetitive very quickly, doubling down on heaving bodies and gushing arteries in order to sustain some sense of momentum. The director’s fetish for invasive close-ups and spatial incoherence comes to seem an aesthetic gimmick, promising a sense of intimacy that never comes to pass, as his film devolves into a genre film that presumes it has the imprimatur of psychological horror.” Christopher Gray, Slant magazine
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Cast and characters:
- Lola Dueñas as Gloria
- Helena Noguerra as Solange
- Laurent Lucas as Michel
- Stéphane Bissot as Madeleine
- David Murgia as Père Luis
Trailer:
Wikipedia | IMDb | Official site
