Synopsis:
Percheron is a visceral and emotionally charged crime drama that explores the powerful and complex bond between a father and daughter, set against a gritty backdrop of urban underworld violence. Luc, a Parisian martial artist whose career is at a dead end, finds himself thrust into an unforgiving world when his estranged daughter becomes ensnared in a life-threatening debt with local drug dealers. Battling both his physical decline and the ghosts of his past, Luc must navigate a violent criminal world to save his daughter, even as he faces the grim reality that he may not survive this final fight.
Visual Style and Cinematic Inspiration:
The visual style of Percheron is a study in contrasts: bold, energetic, and raw, with a deeply textured aesthetic. Drawing on the rich visual references of Krzysztof Kieslowski’s The Double Life of Veronica and J.C. Chandor’s A Most Violent Year, the film's palette features dynamic greens and amber tints with crushed blacks. This contrast deepens the emotional resonance, emphasizing both the intensity of the action and the vulnerability of the characters.Cinematic references from Jean-Pierre Melville and Paolo Sorrentino’s crime films inform the film’s sweeping camera movements and gritty realism, while the emotional truth at the heart of the story reflects the intimate, character-driven narratives of Jacques Audiard and Neil Jordan. The Steadicam-driven fight sequences are chaotic, mirroring the internal turmoil of Luc’s struggle, while the calmer static shots in long lens focus on the personal moments between Luc and his daughter, giving viewers an intimate glimpse into their strained relationship.
Key Characters:
Luc: A hardened, sick Parisian martial arts fighter, Luc is at the end of his career and battling his physical decline. His past failures as a father loom large, and now his daughter’s life is in danger, pushing him into a final fight he might not survive.
Luc’s Daughter: Desperate to escape the shadow of her father and the dangerous life she has found herself in, she is at a crossroads between redemption and ruin. Her debt to local drug dealers is a weight that threatens her future.
Opening Scene:
The film opens with a neon-lit Dublin at night. The city’s urban sprawl pulses with an electric energy as Luc, bruised and exhausted, limps through its streets. His athletic gait is offset by the unmistakable signs of physical decay—a symbol of a once-powerful man now facing his limitations. As he trudges through the city’s underbelly, viewers are introduced to a character shaped by violence and regret, immediately establishing the film’s raw tone.
Redemption and Sacrifice:
At its heart, Percheron is about redemption—Luc’s desperate attempt to save his daughter, and in doing so, atone for his past failures as a father.Father-Daughter Bond: The emotional core of the film lies in the fraught relationship between Luc and his daughter. Both are scarred by their past, and both are seeking a way out of their respective downward spirals.Physical and Emotional Decline: Luc’s physical deterioration is mirrored in his emotional struggle. His fight to save his daughter is not only external, but internal, as he confronts the painful realization of his own mortality.
Cinematography:
The film’s energetic, hyper-visual style will contrast between the intimate, emotionally driven moments of stillness and the chaotic, high-stakes fight scenes. The static singles captured with long lenses during moments of conversation and reflection are juxtaposed with the frantic, erratic camera movements of the Steadicam during the film's many visceral fight sequences. Shadows and silhouettes play a significant role in shaping the film’s mood, adding layers of depth to the gritty, urban landscape.
Influences:
Visually and tonally, Percheron takes inspiration from the sweeping camera work of Paolo Sorrentino’s The Consequences of Love, utilizing wide pans and dynamic tilts to convey both the scope and intimacy of the story. The film’s world, rooted in the raw realism of crime dramas like those by Jean-Pierre Melville, serves as a backdrop for the emotional depth characteristic of Jacques Audiard and Neil Jordan’s work. The action sequences, violent and raw, are influenced by the choreography of A Most Violent Year, while the complex emotional landscapes of its characters mirror Kieslowski’s layered approach to storytelling in The Double Life of Veronica.Percheron is more than a crime drama—it is a meditation on family, sacrifice, and the price of redemption. Luc’s story is one of survival, not just in the physical sense, but emotionally, as he seeks to make peace with his past, even if it means sacrificing his future.
