Review: The Innocent is triple-threat Louis Garrel's new comedy

Louis Garrel co-wrote, directed and stars in this fun French film - part romantic comedy, part heist story. He's got a good cast and spins a yarn with lots of twists and turns.

Although there are moments that are a little credulity-stretching - the ending feels a little implausible - this is a comedy, so allowances can made.

Widowed Abel (played by Garrel), a marine biologist who conducts tours at an aquarium, misses his wife deeply and feels obliged to watch over his actress mother Sylvie (Anouk Grinberg), who has an impulsive if not reckless streak and has been married multiple times.

He's the sensible, responsible one and feels more like a father or brother to her than a son at times.

Sylvie teaches drama to prison inmates between gigs (as apparently, did Garrel's own mother) and has fallen in love with one of them, Michel (Roschdy Zem), who's in jail for burglary.

Against Abel's objections, Sylvie and Michel marry in the prison.

When Michel is released, the newlyweds open a florist together in a building owned by a friend of Michel, who's given them a good deal on the rent.

Abel tries to cope with the fact his new stepfather is an ex-con - the younger man's idea of small talk is asking about heists.

Although Michel seems sincere and he and Sylvie appear to be happy together, Abel is still suspicious.

With his close friend Clemence ( Noémie Merlant), Abel keeps tabs on his new stepfather but, amateurs that they are, they are soon found out.

It turns out, however, his suspicions were correct.

That break on the rent for a "friend" did not come unconditionally: Michel has to take part in the theft of some very expensive Iranian caviar.

This leads to an unusual business proposition.

Abel and Clemence are given parts to play - literally: they are rehearsed in this by an exacting Michel who critiques their performances wanting them to draw on real feelings.

Obviously those prison drama lessons paid off.

But will everything go according to plan?

Although that agreement might sound unlikely, Garrel makes it work.

We have the sense that Abel needs a bit of a kick to restart his life and Clemence is keen to be more than just a friend to him.

One of the film's highlights is the extended sequence in which Abel and Clemence are acting as decoys.

They're in a restaurant masquerading as a bickering couple to attract the truck driver's attention as he eats his food.

But the line between their "acting" and their real feelings for each other soon becomes blurred as emotions run high and voices are raised.

Trying to work out just when and where the "performance" becomes genuine and back again is as enthralling as it is amusing.

It's a clever way of deepening their relationship as well as advancing the story.

And, of course, it takes place in a movie with the co-writer and director at the centre on screen so there are multiple layers.

The Innocent is a comedy but not always in a broad, obvious way and there's a streak of melancholy running through it.

There's a big action sequence involving vehicles and guns that is a change of pace as much for Abel and Clemence as it is for us.

The characters and their feelings and relationships ring true, helped by fine performances from all the actors.

The Innocent screens at Mount Vic Flicks from Thursday, May 4. For session times visit: www.mountvicflicks.com.au