Mesrine: L'instinct de Mort (tr: Mesrine: the instinct of death) and L'Ennemi Public N. 1 (Public Enemy #1)
Mesrine is a two part movie about the life of French gangster Jacques Mesrine, with Vincent Cassel playing him.
Mesrine was not just your average gangster. He was known as The Man of 1000 faces, which is how he fooled people, and remained at large for so long:
When he robbed banks, he would quickly take care of the first one, then, with the police not far, he'd go across the street and rob the other bank.
He escaped from every prison he was incarcerated in, and even escaped in the middle of his own trial by planning it before his arrest.
The movie shows the gangster's early adulthood, when he was in the French-Algerian war, and his subsequent decision to not lead a regular civilian life. It then follows his first big crimes, his trip to Quebec and Arizona, with the law pursuing him, his return to France, and eventually the end of his "career".
Cassel does an excellent job. He's intense, charismatic, completely psychotic at times, and always dangerous.
The story alone is worth it. I don't understand how it's possible that I didn't know about this gangster a week ago. He's a legend.
I don't know what else to say about this film, except that you should see it. Wow.
10/10
Trailer: (in French)
YouTube - Mesrine: L'instinct De Mort - BA - HQ