Le crime de Monsieur Pegotte: A weird little French mystery

Is it worth the screen time?

Honestly? Maybe. If you like old-school French cinema that smells like dusty velvet and cigarette smoke, you’ll probably have a decent time. If you need pacing faster than a tortoise on a coffee break, stay away. This isn't exactly Safe in Hell when it comes to tension, that's for sure.

The whole thing feels a bit like a stage play that got lost on its way to the theater. Everyone is talking at each other, but half the time, they aren't actually listening. It’s charming, in a slightly annoying sort of way.

Oddly specific observations

• The lighting in the second act is… a choice. It makes half the characters look like they’re being haunted by their own shadows.
• Jules Berry has this way of blinking that makes you think he’s hiding a secret in his eyelids.
• The background extras in the café scene have absolutely no idea what to do with their hands. One guy just stirs his empty cup for like, three full minutes.

There’s a moment about halfway through where a door slams, and it’s arguably the most exciting thing that happens in the first hour. It wasn't even a plot-critical slam. It just happened. I think the actor was just tired of the scene.

You can tell the director was trying to channel some of the weight seen in films like Voltaire, but it lands a bit differently here. It’s less historical gravity and more just… people being grumpy. Very grumpy.

I found myself zoning out during the long monologue about the inheritance. I think the character was talking for so long that he actually forgot his own point. I certainly did. 🙄

If you're looking for something that hits hard like The Downfall of Osen, you’re looking in the wrong place. This is a light snack, not a feast. It’s not trying to change your life, which is kind of refreshing, I guess.

Also, the mustache work in this movie? Incredible. Some of these guys have facial hair that deserves its own billing in the credits. It’s distracting, really.

I'm still not sure what the "crime" actually was, or if I even care anymore. But the hats are nice. Everyone wears a very good hat.