The will to take down the Marseilles’ infamous “French Connection” drug ring becomes an addiction for the police magistrate, who literally devotes his life to catching the bad guy in The Connection. An update on the classic film The French Connection but actually set in France, and shot in beautiful 35mm, this film feels as if it was made in the 1970s. Jean Dujardin gives a powerhouse performance as Pierre Michel, the cop who went to all lengths to bring down the drug ring that corrupted his city.

Although the film is two hours and ten minutes, it feels much longer; however this dragged out feeling gives us an insight into just how long it took to try and bring down the drug ring that essentially ran all of Marseilles. The film has a very classic feeling to it, as it is obviously very inspired by such similar films that came before it, by the likes of Martin Scorcese and Francis Ford Coppola. All of the performances are great and we get a lot of insight into all of the characters lives; even the bad guys are given human qualities that make us sympathetic towards them. There are many moments of the film that are high tension and that are memorable, but as a whole its length hurts it in the end. The film never really verges on boring, but it does feel as though some trimming would have helped it feel more precise and engaging. Overall, The Connection is a noteworthy throwback to the crime genre that is beautifully shot and has many positives going for it, including great music, performances, and a true crime story that still feels exciting and relevant today.

[star v=3]