“In the adult world, and in the world of the seventies film, choices are not always easy and obvious, most people are some combination of good and bad, authorities and institutions are often imperfect and even corrupt, and, finally, the hero doesn’t always win.”

Jonathan Kirshner from his book “Hollywood’s Last Golden Age: Politics, Society, and the Seventies Film in America”



One of the genres that flourished during Hollywood’s last golden age was the political thriller; “The Parallax View” (1974), “All the President’s Men” (1976), “Three Days of the Condor” (1975) to name a few. American box office today is dominated by fantasy and animation, so this week I took a cinematic visit to France to get my fix of adult-oriented content.

“Goliath” (2022) is a topical thriller that depicts the cozy relationship between industry lobbyists and government representatives. Gilles Lellouche stars as the environmental lawyer who is a combination of good and bad and who doesn’t always win. You can click on the link below to read my full review on the Drama Movies site.

I also watched “La Syndicaliste” (2022) starring Isabelle Huppert. The film is based on the true story of Maureen Kearney. She worked as a union representative at a French nuclear power corporation. She started to investigate the company’s secret plans to partner with the Chinese; threats escalated until Kearney was sexually assaulted in her own home. The twist occurs when police decide she has fabricated the attack and she is convicted of making false charges. The montage sequence showing how police investigate her after the rape, confiscating her office laptop and her private medical records, is chilling. While I think the director plays it safe and the tempo lags in the film’s second half, I still recommend “La Syndicaliste” for the unsettling story it tells. The DVD extras include an interview with the real-life Maureen Kearney. Take a look and you’ll see why Huppert was the perfect choice to recreate her on film.

Be sure to visit my new blog Selective Focus for more insightful commentary.

https://www.selectivefocusblog.com/


Here's the latest article from the Drama Movies site at BellaOnline.com.

Goliath (2022) Film Review
Political thriller "Goliath" is timely, intelligent, and entertaining filmmaker. Gilles Lellouche plays a harried environmental lawyer who demands accountability from a corporate giant producing a cancer-causing pesticide.

http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art309325.asp

Please visit dramamovies.bellaonline.com for even more great content about Drama Movies.



Angela K. Peterson, Drama Movies Editor
http://dramamovies.bellaonline.com