For those of you who enjoy the political parts of House Of Cards US, or those who liked Borgen, you might want to take a look at this new show.
First, the name. Baron Noir is called as such because Baron is the political slang in France for locally-influential politicians, and Noir (black) is used because the eponymous character airs from the industrial areas of the North of France where the main activity was mining before the industry started falling apart.
The main character is Philippe Rickwaert, deputy of the Nord county, mayor of Dunkerque, and right-hand man of left-wing presidential candidate Francis Laugier. The plans were for him to become the head of the socialist party (PS) once Laugier wins. However, the police is tipped to some shady financiary operations conducted in order to finance Laugier's campaign by Rickwaert's men, and when the story becomes public, Laugier dumps Rickwaert to protect himself. And becomes president.
The series follow the struggle between Laugier and Rickwaert who wants to get back at him. Only, unlike Frank Underwood, Rickwaert is actually shown to have a conscience (he was working class, unlike many PS members)... but he also has ambitions.
Written by someone who was part of the entourage of some current (left-wing) politicians, so they know what they are talking about. If you are curious about French politics - it is realistic. Not pretty, obviously, but well-staged, well-written and very well-played.
The producer is Canal Plus, the same network that produced Engrenages/Spiral, The Tunnel or The Revenants. And it features Kad Merad - who became famous as a comedian but here is definitely not in a funny role - or Niels Arestrup, of The Beat That My Heart Skipped or A Prophet fame, in a role that looks a lot like the greatest left-wing politician in French history, former president François Mitterrand.
Also, the line "Enculés de Communistes" ("Those fucking communists") is (seriously) uttered at some point.
For those of you who enjoy the political parts of House Of Cards US, or those who liked Borgen, you might want to take a look at this new show.
First, the name. Baron Noir is called as such because Baron is the political slang in France for locally-influential politicians, and Noir (black) is used because the eponymous character airs from the industrial areas of the North of France where the main activity was mining before the industry started falling apart.
The main character is Philippe Rickwaert, deputy of the Nord county, mayor of Dunkerque
, and right-hand man of left-wing presidential candidate Francis Laugier. The plans were for him to become the head of the socialist party (PS) once Laugier wins. However, the police is tipped to some shady financiary operations conducted in order to finance Laugier's campaign by Rickwaert's men, and when the story becomes public, Laugier dumps Rickwaert to protect himself. And becomes president.
The series follow the struggle between Laugier and Rickwaert who wants to get back at him. Only, unlike Frank Underwood, Rickwaert is actually shown to have a conscience (he was working class, unlike many PS members)... but he also has ambitions.
Written by someone who was part of the entourage of some current (left-wing) politicians, so they know what they are talking about. If you are curious about French politics - it is realistic. Not pretty, obviously, but well-staged, well-written and very well-played.
The producer is Canal Plus, the same network that produced Engrenages/Spiral, The Tunnel or The Revenants. And it features Kad Merad - who became famous as a comedian but here is definitely not in a funny role - or Niels Arestrup, of The Beat That My Heart Skipped or A Prophet fame, in a role that looks a lot like the greatest left-wing politician in French history, former president François Mitterrand.
Also, the line "Enculés de Communistes" ("Those fucking communists") is (seriously) uttered at some point.
edited 13th Feb '16 3:05:33 PM by Julep