Mon amant l'assassin: A dusty, dramatic curiosity

Is it worth a watch?

Honestly, you probably only want to sit through Mon amant l'assassin if you have a real soft spot for vintage French cinema that hasn't aged perfectly. If you hate slow-burn setups or stagey dialogue, skip it. But if you like seeing how people used to film 'danger' without a CGI budget, it’s got some charm. 🎞️

The whole thing feels a bit like a dusty theater production that someone decided to film on a Tuesday. There’s this constant, heavy sense of dramatic irony that the characters just can’t seem to escape.

Notes from the couch

• The lighting in that one hallway scene is honestly bizarre. It’s like they forgot to turn half the lamps on.
• I spent about ten minutes just staring at the wallpaper in the living room set. It’s... a choice.
• The pacing? It’s a bit like a Sunday drive on a flat tire. You get where you're going, but it’s bumpy.

There’s a specific look the lead gives when he’s trying to hide his guilt. It’s so painfully obvious that I started laughing. It’s not subtle. It’s not even trying to be. 🤡

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of Mon amant l'assassin (1932) through its definitive frames.

It reminded me a bit of the mood in Stolen Love, where the stakes feel personal even if the delivery is a little stiff. The actors are clearly working their tails off to keep the tension alive, even when the script gives them absolutely nothing to do for long stretches.

I caught myself checking my watch, not because I was bored, but because the silence in the room felt so heavy. You know that feeling when you're waiting for a jump scare that never comes? That’s this movie. It’s all about the dread, not the payoff.

I wouldn't call this a masterpiece, and it definitely lacks the sharpness of some other films from that time. It just... exists. Sometimes that’s enough.

If you enjoy this, maybe go watch That Rascal next if you want something that feels slightly less like it's trying to hold its breath for 90 minutes. Or don't. It’s your evening. 🤷‍♂️