Mon Roi

Much like BLUE VALENTINE which I have to assume was a tangential inspiration, this is a sometimes too bitter and acrid portrait of a spectacularly dysfunctional romantic relationship, but where Maïwenn strikes gold is in her observation of how toxicity breeds toxicity as Cassel’s gradual unravelling strikes a sympathetic vibration in Bercot’s seemingly put-upon lead; their sticking in a horrible game of “Anything you can do, I can do better” in the second half is as raw and strangely poignant as any relationship drama put to screen. Scorching work from Bercot is complemented by marvellously subtle and insidious work from Cassel; this is almost the role he (or at least his persona) was born to play, and he wrings every drop of charm and savagery from his character.