Rent The Big Hit (2020)

Art Can Set Anyone Free.....It Really Can. - The Big Hit review by Strovey

It has to be said that this French product about an absurdist play by an absurdist playwright seems to be equally as absurd.

Truth be told all the main actors play it straight and realistically, making the tale fascinating and fun. I was particularly impressed that the prisoners, from all backgrounds and ethnicities with differing convictions are presented in a balanced way. There are no histrionics, no instant fighting and knife fights, just normal reprobates in prison who eighty percent of the time are just human. It is refreshing and immediately catches your eye. I could imagine how Hollywood would show this. Honestly, this film in the form you see could not be made in the big-star, big-director system. It is too low-key, and dare I say too subtle.

Apart from a few outside establishing shots, and some on-coach action, the main scenery, cinematography, involves six men in a room or cell. Therefore, the acting, the drama and the comedy have to hold your interest.

It does.

In particular Kad Merad, as Etienne, is wholly convincing as the world-weary actor who takes on jobs to pay the bills. But no matter how weary he is he is passionate. Merad plays this to perfection.

The inmates all have backgrounds and characters we are slowly led into, subtly. It is lovely. The writing and acting are so good I liked every one of them but at no point would I trust them.

Marina Hands the main female character, in a way a thankless task, representing authority as the governess, more than holds her own in a role where she has to draw the line at steely authority but also working miracles because she really wants the men to be more than they are. Again convincing.

Equally impressive is that we are shown six months of rehearsals, where nothing is easy and the prisoners have to understand and realise that acting is not quite the hilarious jape it appears. Things that happen that cause them problems are not instantly, heroically or otherwise, overcome. Simply put this film is not ‘pat’.

The prisoner's tiredness at their situation and the way they are treated despite their obvious talent is shown with a gentle touch and not the huge vulgar hammer blow framed by exposition that can ruin films, and like Beckett’s actual work there is more on display here than you first see. Like his play's protagonists, the players are trapped in seeming eternity, unable to move forward without someone watching, guarding, and detaining them.

As I have said previously a great strength in The Big Hit is that it does not condone or praise the criminals or how they arrived at incarceration, but does show how their punishment does not solve their problems and how art, albeit just a one play, can bring joy, fun and even a sense of freedom from their daily grind.

Art is important, I can say it, my artist/creative friends say it, and this film shows it entertainingly and skillfully.

Even more absurdist this story, including the left-field ending, is based on a true story – I could not believe it when I found out – and an event that Beckett himself found out about and said something similar to “This is the perfect thing to happen to my play”.

I highly recommend this film.

Up to date - The Big Hit review by CSF

A very pleasant film to watch. Very realistic. I recognized some of the problems I had when I was a teacher in a prison. I failed to make them perform a play, mainly because of my lack of continuous will power and courage. And also the little interest of the prison staff who see problems only. Kad Merad, the teacher is both a fantastic actor and a fantastic teacher. This is a very entertaining and useful film. It should be shown in schools and prisons of course. Why, ô why in England a "useful" film is not considered as entertainment???

The other actors are remarkable, they make you believe it is a documentary.