Because of her supporting role in the French series ‘Call My Agent’, Laure Calamy, a French actress, is more familiar to the U.S audience thanks to its popularization on Netflix. The 48-year-old is perhaps lucky to be non-American because women at her age are not treated very well in Hollywood with regards to the lack of respect and significant roles that are available. Although she is appealing, this reveals a more serious issue regarding her being casted in America. Nevertheless, for her, this means that her work gets released in the U.S and her range is pretty nice. She is great fun in the bouncy rom-com “My Donkey, My Lover, & I” and in “The Origin of Evil,” a gnarly, knotty thriller co-written (with Fanny Burdino) and directed by Sébastien Marnier; J. Calamy gives a dramatic performance of unsettling depth. It is delightful to witness her shift into this new territory.
She is to play one of the most miserable roles as an ex-convict who is released from prison and works in an anchovy-packing factory, which is so gross. The setting and the hordes of perverts who occupy it are illustrated in monochrome almost on the entire rectangular frame. A woman rented a room to me, but I am being thrown out because she is going through a reunion with her long lost daughter. My girlfriend refuses to come for the visit. One agitated evening she telephones a gentleman who resides on the Island of Parquetries, situated at the French Riviera. This man has not been married and has a daughter he has not seen in a long time. Hence, ‘Calamy’ assumes the role of Stéphane, the name of the lost daughter, and with this pretense, she managed to receive an invitation from the old gentleman.
From the start of the movie when they step off the ferry and into wealthy restaurateur Serge’s villa, owned by Jacques Weber, the world around them shifts. The matriarch of the family, Louise, who is being played by Dominique, manages to get her new rich outfits to blend in with the colors of the furniture. Serge and Louise’s first born, George, always dresses plainly, however, she is extremely cold. For reasons that are not entirely unfounded, she senses that Stephane is digging for an inheritance at the very least. With that being said, George gives Stephane the order to leave and never come back to the island. While George shares there orders, George does not share her suspicions.
Since we are on the topic of Stephane, she has a plan and that starts with impressing Serge. During the family gathering she self-proclaims the owner of the anchovy packing business and lies with extreme ease. She holds a strong emotional position in the story as the family of Serge are anything but pleasant to say the least. However, with the passage of time specifics of her scheme will be revealed and will make Calamy’s character far from sweet. While it is clear that the details of her scheme are tied to her relationship with the prison she resided in.
This is one of those thrillers in which no one is who they claim to be. And those who are, are completely without sanity. Serge does not see his family ending the ideal could care less life he wishes to lead but rather uses Stéphane to listen to his grumble, “I have saved no one but my business.” The aging Serge is relunctant over this guardianship issue and asks Stéphane to turn up for the hearing on his behalf. Again, we pity the poor old guy, but not for long. The question whether Serge is actually a kind old man being ripped apart by vultures or he himself is a monster is fair.
So, if this film is built around this idea, it is also true that once you have set sail on the bender of lying, slowing down is or rather proves to be rather tricky. So is, as it turns out, killing. For argument’s sake, the web spun by “The Origin of Evil” arguably features one twist too many, but the viewer is in for more than a pound by the time it happens. Kudos goes to Calamy’s rock solid performance.
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