An intense look, meaningful silences and an omnipresent tension: “Playing with Fire”, the latest film starring Vincent Lindon as a father whose sons are Benjamin Voisin and Stéfan Crépon, stands out with its emotional approach and its depth when fraternal bonds are intertwined in an extremist story. The young actors were my guests where laughter and jokes helped to relax the atmosphere while tackling serious themes.
“This film is not Manichean,” underlines Benjamin Voisin. “It does not dictate what is good or bad, but invites the viewer to reflect on the developments in our society and the fractures they cause. » The story focuses on two brothers, played by Voisin and Crépon, confronted with the radicalization of one of them in a context where violence and identity tensions take precedence over family love.
Reflection on individual choices
In the film, the directors choose not to justify the actions of the characters with biographical elements. “The absence of the mother, the worker father who is doing his best… none of that explains or excuses what happens to my character,” says Voisin. “This shows that radicalization is above all a question of perception of the world. »
Stéfan Crépon, who plays the “successful” brother, describes with emotion the challenges of his role. “My character tries to maintain balance in this torn family, but he himself is overwhelmed by the absence of his mother and the weight of two strong personalities around him. » A complex position, reinforced by the fine writing of the screenplay adapted from an acclaimed novel.
The film team, led by Vincent Lindon at the top of his game, seems to have found real chemistry. “We are almost a real family on set,” confides Crépon, “Vincent sets a bar so high that we can only surpass ourselves. » The two actors, long-time friends, admit that their proximity made their work easier. “Playing brothers was natural, we almost already were in life,” adds Voisin.
Open up in a closed world
As a backdrop, the film questions modern societal excesses, from identity tensions to questions of belonging. For Voisin, “it’s fascinating to see how, in a world that advocates openness, we simultaneously build invisible walls through exclusive discourses. »
-Without ever sinking into gratuitousness or meaningless violence, “Playing with Fire” relies on unsaid things, glances and moral dilemmas to captivate its audience. An experience that Voisin sums up as follows: “To see this film in a theater, without pause, is to condemn yourself to following the characters on their journey, until the inevitable. »
“Playing with Fire” is in theaters January 22.
With AI
