Inexorable

Directed by Fabrice Du Welz, Inexorable follows Alba Gaïa Bellugi’s enigmatic Gloria as she worms her way into the lives of a wealthy couple (Benoît Poelvoorde’s Marcel and Mélanie Doutey’s Jeanne) and their young daughter (Janaïna Halloy’s Lucie). Filmmaker Du Welz, armed with a script written with Joséphine Darcy Hopkins and Aurélien Molas, delivers a deliberately-paced yet progressively absorbing thriller that does, at the outset, benefit from the underlying mystery behind Gloria’s background and intentions, and it’s clear, as well, that the movie’s perpetually watchable atmosphere is heightened by Manu Dacosse’s stylish visuals and a series of strong, compelling performances – with, in terms of the latter, Poelvoorde’s typically engaging work here matched by Bellugi’s often mesmerizing turn as the increasingly sinister Gloria. And although the picture’s midsection admittedly suffers from a few palpable lulls, Inexorable eventually moves into a second half bursting with unexpected twists and impressively engrossing interludes (eg Lucie puts on an unexpected show at her birthday party) – with the electrifying bent of the film’s closing stretch ultimately cementing its place as a solid entry within the lamentably dormant blank-from-hell genre.

***1/2 out of ****

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