This evening, France 3 is broadcasting “Jusqu’à la garde”, a chilling psychological thriller directed by Xavier Legrand. With powerful performances and a tension worthy of the greatest films of the genre, this masterpiece awarded the César for best film in 2019 addresses the ravages of domestic violence with rare intensity.
A work of relentless tension
In To the hiltXavier Legrand plunges the viewer into a terribly realistic situation: a conflictual divorce where custody of a child becomes the scene of a confrontation. Miriam (Léa Drucker) requests sole custody of her son Julien (Thomas Gioria), accusing her ex-husband Antoine (Denis Ménochet) of violent behavior. But, due to lack of sufficient evidence, the judge decides to grant shared custody, forcing Julien to spend time with his father.
The film then sets out to show, with clinical precision, the growing tension within this broken family. Antoine, played by Denis Ménochet, oscillates between manipulative charm and terrifying latent violence. In contrast, Miriam, played by a movingly accurate Léa Drucker, embodies a determined mother but paralyzed by fear. In the middle, Julien, whose restrained performance by Thomas Gioria reflects the suffering of a child taken hostage by the toxicity of his parents.
With minimalist but impactful staging, Xavier Legrand manages to maintain constant tension, each scene seeming to announce an imminent drama. Until the final climax, the film captures the viewer's attention and immerses them in an oppressive reality that seems ready to explode at any moment.
When drama is tinged with thriller
And To the hilt is based on a realistic basis, Xavier Legrand chooses to transcend the genre by borrowing the codes of the thriller. From the first scene – an icy hearing before a judge – the director sets up a heavy atmosphere and almost distressing. The soundtrack is almost absent, leaving the silences and ambient noises to increase the tension.
Legrand enjoys playing with the viewer's expectations, constructing his story like a relentless mechanism where every detail, every look, every word has weight. In the way ofes plus grands thrillersthe film is based on a gradual build-up in tension, where anxiety sets in slowly but surely. Special mention to the sequence in the party room, where, almost like a slasher, you expect the boogeyman to appear around every corner.
The choice of frames and decorations also accentuates the oppressive atmosphere. The intimate scenes, often filmed in tight shots, reflect the psychological confinement of the characters. The finale, terrifying and unexpected, confirms Xavier Legrand's ability to manipulate the viewer while remaining faithful to the seriousness of his subject.
Is To the Hilt based on a true story?
well that To the hilt is not directly inspired by a true story, it is anchored in a chilling reality. The director Xavier Legrand based himself on in-depth research on the domestic violence and its consequences for children. The film also extends the short film Before you lose everythingproduced by Legrand in 2013, which already addressed the ravages of this scourge.
Through the character of Antoine, To the hilt shows the often insidious aspect of domestic violence: a man who may appear charming in public, but reveals behavior threatening in privacy. This duality is a recurring aspect of victims' testimonies, and Xavier Legrand wanted to show this truth in all its complexity.
The film is also inspired by tragic news stories, which highlight the shortcomings of the judicial system in the protection of children and victims of domestic violence. Through fiction, To the hilt becomes a heartbreaking mirror of a reality that is too often ignored.
Upon its release, the film was a public and critical success, reflecting its rating of 4/5 from our colleagues at AlloCiné.
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