"On the Run" is the first film of ambitious writer/director/actor Lucas Belvaux' Trilogy to hit American cinemas, to be followed shortly by "An Amazing Couple" and "After the Life." Conceived as three interlocking movies with overlapping cast and locations but wildly different genres, the films can be seen in any order.
"On the Run" is a noir thriller about a former terrorist who escapes after fifteen years in prison, and is looking to settle old scores. The escapee Bruno, played by Belvaux himself, regroups in his hideout, locates old weapons stashes, and comes knocking on the door of former fellow traveler Jeanne (Catherine Frot), who now has a husband, a son, and a life in picturesque Grenoble, an unlikely backdrop for a story of murder and revenge.
Pursued by a glowering detective (Gilbert Melki), Bruno is taken in by a middle-class junkie (Dominique Blanc) who wants to help him make his way to Italy -- but not before taking down the man who sold him out years ago and is now running a successful business.
Dark and moody, "On the Run" is filled with richly drawn characters bearing the weight of the past. Last year's "What To Do In Case of Fire?" tackled a similar subject, but unlike that film, "On the Run" never slips into cuteness--the choices Jeanne and Bruno make are irrevocable and deadly.
While "On the Run" is entirely successful on its own terms, it also works as integral part of Belvaux's audacious experiment in form and style. The real fascination lies in the way the gritty crime drama ties into the other films. All three movies share characters and situations, but preserve a distinct flavor: "An Amazing Couple" is a quick-witted comedy of errors and "After the Life" is a melodrama. Belvaux does a masterful job at overlapping his stories and replaying scenes in an entirely new light.
