Rapt (film)
| Rapt | |
|---|---|
 Film poster | |
| Directed by | Lucas Belvaux |
| Produced by |
Patrick Sobelman Diana Elbaum Sébastien Delloye |
| Written by | Lucas Belvaux |
| Starring | Yvan Attal |
| Music by | Riccardo Del Fra |
| Cinematography | Pierre Milon |
| Edited by | Danielle Anezin |
| Distributed by | Diaphana Films |
Release date |
|
Running time | 125 minutes |
| Country |
France Belgium |
| Language | French |
| Budget | €5.5 million |
| Box office | $5.5 million[1] |
Rapt is a 2009 French-Belgian dramatic film directed by Lucas Belvaux and starring Yvan Attal. It was nominated for 4 César Awards in 2010, including Best Film. It was released in France on 18 November 2009.
The film is inspired by the true story of the kidnapping of Édouard-Jean, 3rd Baron Empain, a very wealthy Hungarian-born Belgian aristocrat. The kidnapping of Baron Empain took place in Paris in January 1978.[2]
Plot
Stanislas, a wealthy and high-profile businessman who is kidnapped and held for ransom, had his finger mailed to his family with their demands. His family comes into conflict with the police and his corporate associates as they struggle to raise the money and pay off the kidnappers. His business associates refuse to pay the ransom, but agree to loan the family only as much as the family's net worth. Stanislas is kept in darkness, unwashed, with little food, constantly threatened by his kidnappers.
Details of his mistresses and gambling emerge in the media. His wife, Francoise, and teenage daughters are traumatized. His business colleagues use it as an opportunity to turn against him. His mother rebukes his wife for not meeting his needs at home. Traumatized by his kidnapping Stanislas returns to his family expecting comfort and joy. Instead he is met by an equally distraught wife and two daughters who demand explanations for his affairs and gambling that has been splashed all over the media. Only his dog is happy to see him. His business associates are eager to tell him that he has been ousted as chairman of the board during his absence. The government suspects that he arranged his own kidnapping to pay off his debts and demands that he submit to questioning. In the last scene he signs papers selling his shares, and mentions to his lawyer that he is too tired to sign divorce papers that day. He opens the mail and finds a note from his previous kidnappers demanding 5 times his net worth.[3]
Cast
- Yvan Attal as Stanislas Graff
- Anne Consigny as Françoise Graff
- André Marcon as André Peyrac
- Françoise Fabian as Marjorie
- Alex Descas as Maître Walser
- Michel Voïta as Le commissaire Paoli
- Patrick Descamps as Massart
- Gérard Meylan as Le Marseillais
- Pierre Rochefort as Fostier
Critical response
On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 97%, based on 31 reviews, with an average rating of 7.6/10.[4] On Metacritic the film has a score of 71 out of 100, based on 16 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[5]
Accolades
| Award / Film Festival | Category | Recipients and nominees | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| César Awards | Best Film | Nominated | |
| Best Director | Lucas Belvaux | Nominated | |
| Best Actor | Yvan Attal | Nominated | |
| Best Supporting Actress | Anne Consigny | Nominated | |
| Lumières Awards | Best Actor | Yvan Attal | Nominated |
References
- ↑ JP. "Rapt (2009)- JPBox-Office".
- ↑ (in French) Le baron Empain : « Tout sonne vrai » de Christophe Cornevin, Le Figaro, 13 November 2009.
- ↑ French, Philip (18 July 2010). "Rapt Film Review". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
- ↑ "Rapt (2011)". Rotten Tomatoes.
- ↑ "Rapt". Metacritic.