Great Film overall

This film is so real. It treats its characters with so much care and sensitivity.

The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.

Blistering performances.

This is Philippe Noiret's last leading part (in his last film,he is only supporting as a garage owner),and he is sensational ,stealing every scene he is in,even though his co-star is talented François Berléand .Marion Cotillard 's screen presence does not exceed five minutes (first in a dream which comes at the most awkward moment ,then as a future insurance agent).Jacques Spiesser ("RAS"; "black and white in colours" aka "La Victoire En Chantant") has a cameo as an insurance agent;The first scene looks like a spoof on thrillers, although it's almost scary ;Berléand is about to shoot a man holding a spade who does not know why this "enemy" wants to do away with him and asks him why ;terse answer by the vilain :"dig!" The movie takes time to take off and seems to drag on for a while ;clues are given later ,notably the " reason" to kill a man and bizarre extracts of a famous TV quiz .As soon as Noiret ,who (paternalistically) teaches the future insurance salesmen,appears ,he 's bigger than the screen:even when he talks about dirty deeds ,he remains "true to himself" ;his hilarious deductive reasoning is in keeping with market principles ,even though it means slaying some people on the way.A funny comedy ,bursting with black humor ;the director should have stopped his movie when the insurance agent learns the news in a cafe on TV;but never mind ,you'll spend a happy time with Noiret and Berleand,the latter thoroughly overtaken by events.Like this? try these....."Série Noire" (Corneau ,1979)"Le couperet "(Costa-Gavras,2005)