Commis d'office (2009)

Director:

Hannelore Cayre

Writers:

Hannelore Cayre (novel)
Hannelore Cayre (screenplay)

Release Date:

6 May 2009 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Thriller

Plot:

At the age of forty, Antoine Lahoud is still defending petty criminals who are entitled only to legal aid...

Plot Keywords:

Corruption | Betrayal | Switzerland | Identity Swap | Fast Food

Cast

Roschdy Zem	...	Maître Antoine Lahoud
Jean-Philippe Écoffey	...	Maître Henry Marsac
Mathias Mlekuz	...	Bertrand (as Mathias Mlekus)
Sophie Guillemin	...	Garance Leclerc
Jean-Pierre Martins	...	Barsamian
Robert Chartier	...	Sellem
Pierre Londiche	...	Maître Le Peltier Pouchard
Toni Hristoff	...	Dostom
Hannelore Cayre	...	Le première présidente du tribunal
Jacky Nercessian	...	La seconde présidente du tribunal (as Jackie Nercessian)
Brigitte Virtudes	...	Madame Fontabrisse - la concierge
Rodolphe Le Corre	...	Le deuxième truand (as Rodolphe Le Cor)
Jean-Claude Montheil	...	Le juge d'instruction
Vinciane Millereau	...	La juge des libertés et de la détention
Nathalie Lacroix	...	La greffière
Thérèse Moumani	...	La maman africaine
Jean-Jacques Nonot	...	Le gendarme chef
Mohamed Makhtoumi	...	Zouani - un prévenu
Farid Larbi	...	Illouz - un prévenu
Adama Doumbia	...	Le prévenu ghanéen
Pierre-Marc Perrussel	...	Le gardien lors du contrôle à la prison
Karim dit 'Spike' Ammour	...	Le troisième détenu
Daniel-Jean Colloredo	...	Le banquier suisse
Emile Louis	...	Le réceptionniste suisse
Michel Retaux	...	Un avocat retraité
Jean Pommier	...	Un avocat retraité
Jean-Louis Tilburg	...	Le gendarme de la Place Dauphine
Laurent Soffiati	...	Un jeune avocat
Elodie Blas	...	La fille P12
Philippe Rostan	...	Le traducteur vietnamien
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Sébastien Autret	...	Le serveur
Mohamed Baragh	...	Abdelkader Zamouni
Joe Belgacem	...	Le deuxième détenu
Rajkumar Bhan	...	L'interprète anglais
Lies Boudadi	...	Un détenu P12
Redouane Douache	...	Un détenu P12
Hicham Kadiri	...	Le premier truand
Stephane Lagoutte	...	Le gendarme mobile
Karim Leklou	...	Otman - un prévenu
Nicolas Porte	...	Le gardien dans la cellule
Brahim Tefka	...	Le premier détenu
Sami Tigharghar	...	Bouzen - un prévenu
Jim Adhi Limas	...	Le grand maître zen dans le film à la télé (uncredited)
Eric Moreau	...	Le toxicomane mourant au tribunal (uncredited)

Directed by
Hannelore Cayre

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Hannelore Cayre		novel "Commis d'office"
Hannelore Cayre		screenplay

Produced by
Isabelle Gattiker	....	executive producer: Geneva
Marc Irmer	....	producer
Nathalie Irmer	....	producer

Original Music by
Charlie Nguyen Kim

Cinematography by
Benoît Chamaillard

Film Editing by
Lisa Pfeiffer

Casting by
Fabienne Bichet
Isabelle Ungaro

Production Design by
Marie-Hélène Sulmoni

Costume Design by
Virginie Alba

Makeup Department
Catherine Bruchon	....	makeup department head
Catherine Pervilhac	....	makeup artist
Emmanuel Pitois	....	key makeup artist

Production Management
Felicite Afonso	....	post-production manager (as Félicité Afonso)
Sébastien Autret	....	unit manager
Patrick Bossard	....	unit manager
Nicolas Bruneaux	....	unit manager
Gwenaëlle Clauwaert	....	production manager
Tatiana Clidi	....	unit manager
Fanny Constans	....	trainee unit manager
Olivier Corcos	....	unit manager
Grégoire Dirson	....	unit manager
Agathe Genty	....	trainee unit manager
Jean-Marie Gindraux	....	unit production manager: Switzerland
Yves Herren	....	unit production manager: Geneva
Vincent Launay	....	unit manager
Nicolas Le Parlouer	....	location assistant production manager
Eric Martin	....	unit manager
Marc Navarre	....	unit manager
Sophie Poncin	....	trainee unit manager: Geneva
Amandine Ros	....	unit manager
Paul Sergent	....	unit manager
Chris Siegenthaler	....	trainee unit manager: Geneva

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Rémi Bouvier	....	trainee assistant director
Emile Louis	....	first assistant director
Fany Pouget	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Stephane Bardin	....	props: furniture
Sabine Barthélémy	....	painter
Hélène Bellanger	....	painter
Michael Beril	....	constructor
Gabriel Campard	....	art department trainee (as Gabriel Campart)
Pierre Gauguier	....	set dresser
Nadine Hibon	....	assistant art director
Philippe Jacob	....	props
Guillaume Ladevèze	....	art department trainee
Thierry Lautout	....	set dresser
Maryline Le Bihan	....	constructor
Sylvain Magnée	....	assistant art director
Vincent Martin	....	painter
Julien Panet	....	art department trainee
Pascal Percie du Sert	....	ripper
Lucie Pons	....	art department trainee
Ornella Voltoni	....	painter

Sound Department
Pascal Armant	....	sound
Marie-Paule Ben Lassen	....	negative conform
Fanchon Brulé	....	post-synchronization assistant (as Fanchon Brûlé-Gaillard)
Pierre Collodin	....	assistant sound
Fabrice Conesa	....	foley recordist
Fabrice Grizard	....	boom operator
Philippe Lecocq	....	sound
Alain Lévy	....	post-synchronization
Françoise Maulny	....	post-synchronization: sound detection (as Françoise Maulny-Lévy)
Gildas Mercier	....	post synchronization: sound engineer
Gildas Mercier	....	sound mixer
François Méreu	....	sound editor
Gadou Naudin	....	foley artist
Julien Perrin	....	recorder
Sébastien Savine	....	sound editor
Dominique Schmit	....	dolby consultant
Sonny Sorensen	....	assistant sound

Visual Effects by
Eric Moulin	....	digital effects & titles

Camera and Electrical Department
Camille Bonin	....	key grip
Arthur Chamaillard	....	electrician
Fatma Cherif	....	first assistant camera
Etienne Cohet	....	grip
Michael Crotto	....	still photographer
Pascal De Groote	....	electrician
Benoit Deconchat	....	grip
Lydie Delaunay	....	trainee assistant camera (as Lydia Delaunay)
Aymeric Demarigny	....	grip
Sébastien Demarigny	....	grip
Eric Devin	....	first assistant camera
Pierre Emily	....	key grip
Benjamin Fuet	....	trainee grip
Arnaud Gross	....	gaffer
Colas Jourdain	....	electrician
David Morille	....	assistant camera
Lucien Morin	....	grip
Raphaël Schott	....	still photographer
Thomas Veyssière	....	electrician

Animation Department
Pascal Valty	....	animator: opening credits

Casting Department
Emile Louis	....	casting associate

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Annie Berthaud	....	dresser
Fabienne Desflèches	....	wardrobe supervisor
Capucine Flavin	....	dresser
Hugues Kouame	....	dresser

Editorial Department
Christian Dutac	....	color timer
Louise Genis-Cosserat	....	assistant editor
Fabien Napoli	....	colorist: dailies

Music Department
Hugo Laly	....	singer
Mathieu Laly	....	singer

Other crew
Nicolas Bernigaud	....	security and parking operations
Elisa Besnoit	....	production secretary
Corine Blue	....	coach
Dominique Boussagol	....	manager of production: LTC
Thierry Louis de Lanonville	....	production administrator
Elisia Douillet	....	location manager
Sylvie Dufour	....	production secretary
Paul-Emmanuel Durand	....	security and parking operations
François Guerrar	....	press attache
Vanessa Guillemain	....	production administrator
Varujan Gumusel	....	manager of production: LTC
Jérôme Humblot	....	promo reel editor
Christelle Laurent	....	production administrator
Laurence Liakoff	....	production administrator
Danièle Maleville	....	project manager: LTC (as Danielle Maleville)
Franck Pin	....	location manager
Nicolas Porte	....	location scout
Maxime Rebière	....	opening credits design
Benjamin Robert	....	security and parking operations
Charlotte Tourret	....	press attache

Thanks
Laurence Abnall-Baugé	....	thanks: vice-procureur chargée de mission auprès du procureur de la république
Manuel Alduy	....	special thanks
Dominique Anglard	....	grateful thanks
Anne Appathurai	....	special thanks
Claude Babinet	....	thanks: service de la communication et des relations internationales
Monsieur Baron	....	thanks: La Cité internationale
Jean-Claude Baumerder	....	special thanks
Monsieur Beltramo	....	thanks: Furygan
Marc Benaïche	....	special thanks
Thomas Binder	....	thanks: La rose de France
Charlotte Bioche	....	thanks: Nike
Thierry Bitoun	....	thanks: Rock ad Café, Saint-Priest
Clair Blondel	....	special thanks (as Claire Blondel)
Sophie Bourdon	....	thanks: Paris film
Olivier Bouthillier	....	thanks: placement de produits marques et films
Alain Boutillot	....	thanks
Stéphane Braconnier	....	thanks: La Cible
Rémi Burah	....	special thanks
Dominique Burquier	....	thanks: préfecture de la région Rhône-Alpes et du département du Rhône
Romain Caille	....	thanks: 16ème chambre correctionnelle du tribunal de grande instance de Paris
Nicolas Calte	....	thanks: Anne et Valentin
Nicolas Charet	....	special thanks
Véronique Charpentier	....	thanks: Chrysler France
Denis Chateau	....	special thanks
Olivier Chiavassa	....	thanks
Caroline Cor	....	special thanks
Stéphane Cordier	....	special thanks
Nathalie Costes-Cerdan	....	special thanks
David Couchon	....	special thanks
Véronique Crasset	....	special thanks
Aurore Cresson	....	special thanks
Danielle D'Antoni	....	grateful thanks
Claude D'Harcourt	....	thanks: directeur de l'administration pénitentiaire
Xavier de Furst	....	thanks: préfecture de la région Rhône-Alpes et du département du Rhône
Rosen de Gouvello	....	thanks
Marie-Noëlle Delahègue	....	thanks: attachée d'administration et responsable du Pôle administratif
Bruno Deloye	....	special thanks
Rosalinde Deville	....	special thanks (as Margaret Menegoz)
Laye Diop	....	thanks: Hôtel Hilton
Leyla Djavadi	....	thanks: la maison du bureau
Jean-Paul Donjon	....	thanks: Le First
Julie Dubois	....	special thanks
Ludovic Escalier	....	thanks
Gregory Faes	....	special thanks
Fatima	....	grateful thanks
Monsieur Fernand	....	thanks: Rock ad Café, Saint-Priest
Mireille Ferrand	....	special thanks
Monsieur Ferrier	....	thanks: centre de semi-liberté de Corbeil-Essonnes
Serge Flamier	....	thanks: assistant du directeur adjoint chargé de l'immobilier
Mathias Forget	....	thanks
Yann Fromageot	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Frédéric	....	thanks: Rock ad Café, Saint-Priest
Joseph Gagnieux	....	thanks: Urbania
Raphaëlle Garcia	....	special thanks
Monsieur Garnier	....	thanks: bar tabac Les Compagnons
Isabelle Gattiker	....	special thanks
Philippe Geny Santoni	....	thanks: 16ème chambre correctionnelle du tribunal de grande instance de Paris
Christian Gerinth	....	thanks: les archives des hospices civils et la visitation
Jean-Robert Gibard	....	thanks
Nathalie Gikalovski	....	thanks
Danièle Gimenez	....	thanks: les archives des hospices civils et la visitation
Félix Golesi	....	thanks: photo credits
Monsieur Graison	....	thanks: maison de retraite 'Les Abondances'
Guillaume	....	thanks: Furygan
Denis Hamon	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Karim Haouchet	....	thanks: la condition des soies & l'association 'Quartier Vitalité'
Régine Hatchando	....	thanks: déléguée générale de la Mission Cinéma de la Mairie de Paris
Véronique Hubert	....	thanks: Nike
Nathalie Huchard	....	special thanks
Pierre Héros	....	special thanks (as Pierre Heros)
Michel Janisson	....	thanks: appariteur eu tribunal de commerce de Paris
Marc Joly	....	thanks: l'Hostel
Salimaté Kamaté	....	grateful thanks
Bernard Lacaille	....	thanks: directeur adjoint chargé de l'immobilier
Charles Lakehal	....	thanks
Jean-François Lanneluc	....	thanks: directuer de cabinet du maire de Lyon et directeur de la communication
Franck Lany	....	thanks: chargé de la sécurité de la prison de la santé
Monsieur Lauzet	....	thanks: la maison du bureau
Régine Lebranchu	....	thanks: Lacoste
Anthony Legoff	....	thanks: 16ème chambre correctionnelle du tribunal de grande instance de Paris
Roch Lener	....	special thanks
François Levert	....	thanks: directeur de la communication de Vinci Park
Michel Liberman	....	special thanks
Juan Lozano	....	special thanks
Frédérique Lubeigt	....	thanks: la maison du bureau
Patrick Mallet	....	thanks: préfecture de la région Rhône-Alpes et du département du Rhône
Guy Manas	....	thanks
Sylvie Manaud-Bénazéraf	....	thanks: directrice de la prison de la santé
Laurent Marcadier	....	thanks: conseiller chargé du secrétariat général
Stéphane Martinie	....	thanks
Gildas Mercier	....	thanks
Michel	....	thanks: la condition des soies & l'association 'Quartier Vitalité'
Sandra Miramanoff	....	special thanks
Gilles Momas	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Lucie Morey	....	grateful thanks
Mani Mortazavi	....	special thanks
Margaret Ménégoz	....	special thanks
Anne-Marie Métailé	....	grateful thanks
Camille Neel	....	special thanks
Frédérique Noiret	....	special thanks
Yves Ory	....	thanks: inspecteur aux services généraux de l'administration de l'arrondissement judiciaire de Paris
Hakim Ourahou	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Marine Palayer	....	grateful thanks
Sylvain Paratte	....	thanks: la condition des soies & l'association 'Quartier Vitalité'
Jean-Luc Parisot	....	thanks: commandant militaire du palais de justice de Paris (as Colonel Jean-Luc Parisot)
Mathieu Piazza	....	special thanks
Thierry Pierre	....	thanks: self du palais de justice de Paris
Frédéric Planchon	....	special thanks
Xavier-David Poncet	....	thanks: Hôtel Hilton
Bertrand Prade	....	thanks: directeur des services culturels de la mairie de Lyon
Monsieur Quino	....	thanks: centre de semi-liberté de Corbeil-Essonnes
Valérie Raynal	....	thanks: Quick Saint-Priest
Michel Reilhac	....	special thanks
Yves Repiquet	....	thanks: bâtonnier de l'ordre
Vincent Reynaud	....	thanks: vice-président chargé du secrétariat général de la présidence
Mahjouba Rguiti	....	thanks: Hôtel Hilton
Philippe Rigault	....	thanks: Furygan
Marc Rippert	....	thanks: Vinci Park
Madame Robert	....	thanks: préfecture de la région Rhône-Alpes et du département du Rhône
Monsieur Ronnal	....	thanks: hôpital Saint-Louis
Christian Roux	....	thanks
Madame Salby-Laboureur	....	thanks: les archives des hospices civils et la visitation
Valérie Sammut	....	thanks: Naxicap Lyon
Richard Sansavini	....	thanks: Arrivez Lyon
Richard Sarfati	....	thanks
David Schapman	....	thanks: secrétaire général du tribunal de commerce de Paris
David Scheer	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Monsieur Segura	....	thanks: Furygan
Joëlle Sevilla	....	thanks: Acting Studio
Catherine Siriez	....	special thanks
Ghislaine Smolarek	....	thanks: assistante du directeur adjoint chargé de l'immobilier
Vicky Sommet	....	grateful thanks
Thomas Sonsino	....	special thanks
Wilfried Souchet	....	thanks: équipe du journal Le Parisien et de la SICAVIC
Michèle Sourd	....	thanks
Gérard Sousi	....	thanks: vice-président de la faculté de Lyon 3 et directeur de l'institut du droit de l'art et de la culture
Eric Steunam	....	thanks: Anne et Valentin
Monsieur Sukiennik	....	thanks: CEGELEC palais de justice
Madame Taupau	....	thanks: hôpital Saint-Louis
Muriel Tendron	....	thanks: Furygan
Jasques Tronel	....	special thanks
Julien Valentin	....	thanks: Hôtel Quick Palace
Pascal Valentin	....	thanks: Hôtel Quick Palace
Philippe Vanderwee	....	thanks: Anne et Valentin
Grégory Weil	....	special thanks
Ulrika Weiss	....	thanks: substitut général chargée de la communication auprès du procureur général
Yves Yozanam	....	grateful thanks

Production Companies

• Dolce Vita Films
• Bac Films (co-production)
• arte France Cinéma (co-production)
• Rhône-Alpes Cinéma (co-production)
• Canal+ (participation)
• CinéCinéma (participation)
• Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC) (participation)
• Intermezzo Films S.A. (executive production)
• Région Rhône-Alpes (support)

Distributors

• Bac Films International (2009) (worldwide) (theatrical)
• Bac Films (2009) (France) (theatrical)
• Bac Vidéo (????) (France) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Color M (digital effects and titles)
• Montage Négatif (negative conform)

Other Companies

• ABK6  communication systems
• Adidas  thanks
• BNP Paribas Audiovisuel  banking services
• Car Grip  vehicles by
• Chrysler-Daimler  vehicles by
• Cinecam  cameras by
• Ciné Grip Films  grip equipment by
• Ciné On  (technical means: editorial)
• Cinéboutique  consumables (as Ciné Boutique)
• Cinéstéréo  optical transfer (as Ciné Stéréo)
• Cofiloisirs  production credit
• D.C. Audiovisuel  sound transfer
• Dianko  thanks
• Efferis  vehicles by
• Escadron de la Gendarmerie mobile  thanks
• Flam and Co.  consumables
• G.D. Son  sound services
• Gendarmerie de Genève  thanks
• Groupe Pont Neuf  insurance
• Hannibal Montres Genève  thanks
• Hôtel Cornavin Genève  thanks
• Hôtel Epsom Manotel, Genève  thanks
• Hôtel de la Paix de Lyon  thanks
• IMG Schaffhausen  thanks
• Intermonde  thanks
• Kodak  film stock
• La Cour d'Appel de Paris et le Parquet du Tribunal de grande Instance de Paris  thanks
• Le Bras Communications  communication systems (as Le Bras Communication)
• Le Murat  thanks
• Les Editions Métailé  grateful thanks
• Loc' Story  vehicles by
• Longchamp  thanks
• Machino  grip equipment by
• Mairie et Hôtel de Ville de Lyon  thanks
• Malakoff Studios  post-synchronization: foley and Dolby finalization
• Maratier  costumes by
• Ministère de la Justice  thanks
• Nice Matin  photo credits
• Nice Work  thanks
• Nokia France  thanks (as Nokia)
• Palais de Justice, Paris  thanks
• Pamplemousse Création Sonore  image and sound editing (as Pamplemousse)
• Panavision France  camera equipment provided by (as Panavision)
• Paris Loges  honeywagon by
• Paris Ventouse  reservation and guarding of parking spaces
• Quick France  thanks
• SVL  vehicles by
• TSF  parking
• Transpalux  lighting equipment
• Ville de Genève, La  thanks

Also Known As:

"Legal Aid" - Europe (English title) (festival title)

Runtime:

88 min | Germany:91 min (European Film Market)

Country:

France

Language:

French | English

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Certification:

Australia:MA | France:U

Filming Locations:

Geneva Lake, Geneva, Switzerland

Company:

Dolce Vita Films

Trivia:

First feature film of former lawyer Hannelore Cayre, adapted from her own 2004 novel.

Movie Connections:

Features L'éveil du moine (2005)

Soundtrack:

Mise au point

Good first half, much less convincing second one

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

"Commis d'office" is a baffling film. Its first part is excellent while the second half is a total misfire. It can boast an excellent performance (by Roschdy Zem) but is also cursed with the shamelessly hammy gesticulations and grimaces of his partner Jean-Philippe Ecoffey (a good actor when he is not left freewheeling). You leave the theater with mixed feelings: on the one hand, you know the movie you have just seen is a failure but on the other hand, oddly enough, you have the impression that you have not entirely wasted your time... The explanation may be that if, for all its defects, "Commis d'office" remains an acceptable watching experience, it is because Hannelore Cayre, its director (and writer, adapting her own book), is a former magistrate and knows what she is talking about. And if the same film ends up being disappointing it is also because of Hannelore Cayre, who, not confident enough in her own subject, chooses to embark on a far-fetched crime story, which, initially meant to win over the average viewer, finally alienates the more demanding one. If you can skip the second part (a highly improbable noir thriller complete with lookalike, prison break, and shoot-out), don't miss the documentary-like first forty-five minutes. The trials and tribulations gone through by Antoine Lahoud who, out of idealism, takes only legal aid cases, are described with great care by the writer-director and the record is appalling: for this category of lawyers, all there is is too many cases for too little money, too little time to review a file, never-ending days of work when, for instance, the President of the Court who likes the sound of his own voice, spins things out, cases entrusted to prominent lawyers as soon as they are interesting, and so on... To bring even more relief to this sorry state of things, Hannelore Cayre parallels Antoine's lot with that of Henry Marsac (Ecoffey), not only a prominent lawyer but also one that gladly overlooks any kind of scruples and morality. As a result seeing Antoine struggle to make ends meet is made all the more hurtful as it is constantly juxtaposed with scenes of cynical Marsac gleefully enjoying his lavish lifestyle. Too bad this first part, a talented illustration of the splendor (?) and misery of the French judicial system, is followed by a rather stupid cop and robbers story. Indeed as soon as this aspect of the script is triggered, the viewer feels that everything will go wrong. First of all, if it is easy to accept the fact that Antoine decides to trade his ideals for a more comfortable lifestyle, it is a preposterous thing to have him collaborate with Marsac, the man he despises the most in the world. And when the latter tricks him into acting against the law, why on earth does he accept whereas he could easily have made money defending well off clients legally? Even worse, how can Cayre make us believe that Dahoud is a credible replacement for an inmate in prison, whereas the resemblance to him is so vague? Well she just can't, thus making suspension of disbelief a hard thing to do. All in all, a film to be seen in spite of everything. Well made technically, well played by Roschdy Zem, benefiting from a well- documented relevant first part, it is unfortunate that Hannelore Cayre is unable to convert the try. But she has not too much to be ashamed of. She just has to believe more in herself.