The Origin Of Evil – REVIEW

This smart and well executed thriller/drama from France about fractured family relations should keep audiences guessing right until the final moment.

The story surrounds a lesbian who works in a jailhouse and desperately wants to reconnect with her wealthy long lost elderly father. All her life Stephane has wanted to know who her father was. The family are very suspicious and question her validity but Serge is adamant that she is his daughter.

That’s not to say that his family are loving or caring – more aptly, gold diggers who are anticipating his death for control of the family empire.

But is Stephane who she claims to be? Why exactly does she want to reconnect with her father and does the family have reason to feel suspicion towards her?

Filmed in a lavish mansion this movie which deals with deceit, jealousy, dysfunctionality, murder and ‘loving families’ highlights the evil that money instils in people. Audiences may be left pondering, is money the origin of evil?

Directed by Sebastien Marnier and starring a popular French cast led by Laure Calamy and George Dumontet this is a movie which should keep audiences intrigued as the seemingly infinite twists and turns keep coming.

Exhausting viewing initially as the story and characters are being introduced but momentum quickly builds once all the pieces of the puzzle start coming together. There should be gasps of shock from audiences as the unpredictable finale highlights the extremities that people may go to for that root of all evil – money.

★★★1/2

Screens at the Queer Screen Mardi Gras Film Festival Feb 15 – Mar 2

www.queerscreen.org.au

Opens nationally in theatres in June