Les Loups Entre Eux: A Cold, Old-School Mess

Is this worth your time?

If you have a thing for old French cinema or just really, really love watching men in suits pace around talking about top-secret documents, then maybe. It’s not exactly a thrill ride by modern standards. But if you’re looking for a breezy, lighthearted night in, you’re going to hate this. It’s heavy, paranoid, and honestly kind of a headache.

The whole thing feels like it’s constantly trying to catch its own tail. You’ve got spies, you’ve got counter-spies, and half the time I couldn't tell who was working for whom. It reminded me a bit of the tension in The Cop, though with way more cigarette smoke and less actual movement.

Notes from the couch

• There is a scene where a guy just stares out a window for what feels like five minutes. I checked my watch twice.
• The dialogue is so fast you’d think the characters are getting paid by the word.
• Everyone looks like they haven't slept since the end of the Great War.
• The lighting is incredibly moody, maybe to hide the fact that the set budget was probably three francs and a half-eaten sandwich.

I found myself wondering if anyone in this movie actually likes each other. It’s just betrayal after betrayal. It’s not as polished as something like Maytime, but it has this grit that sticks to you. Pierre Renoir is doing a lot of heavy lifting here with just his eyebrows. He’s got that look of a man who knows the world is ending and is just tired of the paperwork involved.

The pacing is a disaster. It hits the gas for a chase scene that lasts thirty seconds and then slams on the brakes for ten minutes of whispering in a cellar. It’s not balanced. It’s not smooth. But sometimes, it works. 🤷‍♂️

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece. I’m not even sure I’d call it 'good' in the traditional sense. But it’s got a weird, jagged personality that’s way more interesting than the generic stuff you see on streaming services these days. Just don't expect it to make perfect sense by the time the credits roll. I’m still not sure who stole the folder.