Review of Love Crime (2010) by Eric R — 19 Jan 2012

Love Crime is a thriller centered around the world of office politics where a young upcoming assistant, Isabelle, clashes with her boss, Christine, an executive who constantly abuses and manipulates the young Isabelle.

Played by Kristen Scott Thomas, Christine, is a very sinister character who prays on the insecurities of young Isabelle. Kristen Scott Thomas is a pleasure to watch in this type of role as she "teaches" her young protege the cut-throat business world through tough lessons which are frequently mentally abusive and harsh.

Isabelle's resolve is underestimated by Christine which leads to an all out war, in this silent back-stabbing office environment. As great as Kristin Scott Thomas is though, this is really a great showcase for Ludvine Sagnier.

Balancing all the emotions of this character who is naive, hard-working, vengeful, and frighteningly alone. Without going into plot details the character goes through a transformation that really showcases Ludvine's talents.

The film's thematic statement appears to be about how the underlying human desire for prestige and money can make even the most rational of individuals into tools of their own ambitions. It's a smart, thriller with enough twists and turns to keep the casual viewer interested while also commenting on a social issue.