When the legend fades, the dream ends

The first two seasons of Le Bureau des légendes were incredible. The third had not been filmed when I last saw the show and I have only just got around to watching it.

Unfortunately, it does not deliver.

While not at all bad for a TV production, its values have fallen substantially. What was once an intense psychological drama demanding little empathy for its characters has become almost soap operatic in some respects. With the exception of Agent Malotru—portrayed at significant personal sacrifice by Mathieu Kassovitz—the legends of the DGSE have become too fallible and incompetent. For two whole seasons they impressed us, but they now do anything but. At times I wondered if René Artois might do a better job.

The profiles of some characters have even been compromised in order to deliver cheap emotional conflict. Céline (Pauline Étienne) is a prime example of this: Originally so cold and intense in pursuit of professionalism, she is now sometimes indistinguishable from a petty adolescent in a teen drama. Not her fault. She is a fantastic actress. She has merely been dealt bad cards by the writers.

I don’t regret watching season three. Despite my criticism, it is not appalling. It’s just nowhere near as good as seasons one and two—and the contrast in quality is really the problem. Being shunted from something so amazing to something so ordinary is a very jarring experience.

Season four is already airing in France and I have decided that I will not be watching. For a story that will be continued, season three provides a surprising degree of closure… so while I don’t know where the road will end for Malotru, it terminates here for me.

Foresti's Dark Performance Shines

De plus belle is a slice-of-life comedy-drama which revolves around the difficult life of a middle-aged single mother—portrayed by Florence Floresti—who has issues with body-image and self-esteem following treatment for breast cancer. Dealing with the physical aftermath leads her to a chance encounter in a wig-shop that puts her on a very unlikely road to psychological recovery: In the theatre… doing the strip-tease… alongside other women with similar problems.

This all sounds very familiar and derivative, and the production is closer to an ITV drama than a cinematic blockbuster, but it is worth watching nonetheless. I only bothered because I spotted Mathieu Kassovitz on the cast list (I’m a huge fan) so it was surprising to find his presence eclipsed by the rather less accomplished Foresti. Her performance is so dark and vulnerable that there’s a constant feeling she is bringing her own real-life insecurities to the screen. Consequently, I am now very interested in exploring her earlier work.

Despite the tired old theatrical trope which suggests exposing oneself on stage is the way forward with body-image issues, there is actually a surprising twist at the end which makes De plus belle a bit different from films which exploit the same idea. It’s not exactly profound and I won’t spoil it, but as already indicated… it’s worth a watch.