What would you be willing to sacrifice to find the writer of the novel that completely disrupted your life? This is the delicate question asked by the prolific director Remi Bezancon in his latest movie adapted from the homonymous novel written by David Foenkinos.

A young publisher (Alice Isaaz) having visited her father in Brittany hears a rumor of a library with a strange room containing “rejected manuscripts” dropped off by anonymous writers. Driven by her curiosity, she discovers an extraordinary novel, which she immediately decides to publish; a wise decision since the novel is instantly acclaimed and becomes a real best-seller.

However, the author, Henri Pick, is none other than a Britton pizzaiolo deceased two years prior who, according to his widow, had never written anything other than his grocery list. Convinced the whole story is a sham the famous literary critic Jean-Michel Rouche (Fabrice Luchini) decides to investigate and count on the unexpected help of the mysterious writer’s daughter (Camille Cottin).

The movie introduces itself as a criminal investigation based on the discovery of a book and the chase of its author. Equipped with an original idea and a well-constructed plot, the twists successfully come one after another to hold the audience’s attention. Its best quality is being far from the often too classic Parisian center, preferring to focus on a small Britton village while providing beautiful marine landscapes.

The apparent alchemy between the talented duo (FL & CC) is obvious, usually accompanied by striking dialogues and sharp lines, giving the audience light-hearted and funny moments. While the movie is carried by two charismatic main characters it is suffering from a bland casting and won’t make any impact on the audience despite the presence of the brilliant Alice Isaaz, whose character is under-exploited. The movie tends to go in many different directions without reaching its main point; weakened by artificial and useless twists. We cannot stop ourselves from noticing certain misunderstandings in the literary critic’s obsession to reveal the book’s secret, regardless of the cost on his personal life. Finally, where the chain of events captivates our minds, the conclusion is mainly disappointing and too fast to be truly appreciated.

The Mystery of Henri Pick is a light and enjoyable work, providing a joyful moment. However, it doesn’t succeed in revolutionizing the genre nor offers a real conclusion to its investigation. Although the mystery is finally resolved, perhaps it should have stayed unresolved.

Director: Rémi Bezançon
Writers: Rémi Bezançon (dialogue), Rémi Bezançon (screenplay)
Stars: Fabrice Luchini, Camille Cottin, Alice Isaaz
Aurélien Petit
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