An extremely clever, funny, adult, violent piece of crime drama, set in Montreal, Canada, in the 1970's. Each episode revolves around a radio-journalist, Mac, who embodies all the requisite traits: tall, dark, handsome, driven, confident, suave, flawed and emotional He also possesses something essential that ultimately drives the show: his utter and complete obsession with crime, crime lore, and criminals. It is through his passion for outlaws that connects him to Montreal's criminal underworld as well as their law-enforcement antagonists by virtue of his being media-neutral. He finds himself repeatedly as mediator and unwitting negotiator between criminals and policemen and he succeeds wildly in gaining local fame, garnering trust within the criminal element and becoming, in the police's view, a necessary evil. Well written, beautifully acted and immensely entertaining. 9/10.
2 Reviews
An excellent action/thriller/drama!
mister_nameless9 March 2005
Warning: Spoilers
"Le negociateur" ("The Negotiator") is a very good film (TV-series it is although), that tells us about the dangerous aspects of a radio journalist Michel-Andre ("Mac") Cloutier's job as the negotiator, a person, who conducts negotiations between the criminals and the police. If you liked "The Negotiator" movie of 1998 featuring Samuel L. Jackson and Kevin Spacey, you'll surely like this Montreal masterpiece, because there are similar aspects treated in both films and of course a well-developed thrilling atmosphere. However, "Le negociateur" features a better (IMHO) character development and it shows more interesting negotiations cases.
Although I wasn't born in Quebec (I'm of Ukrainian heritage and I live in Montreal for only 4 years), I must say that the atmosphere of the time period shown in the TV-series and the decors illustrating this period are very convincing and well done (i.e. cars, buildings interiors, clothes, etc.). This is already a very big plus for the film.
But the very first thing I liked about these series is the way the characters are portrayed. Frederic de Granpre is very convincing in his role of Mac. Cloutier is smart, courageous and has a good sense of justice. He's not afraid to enter a gas-station and confront two daredevil robbers, who just took his sister and some other guys as hostages. He's not afraid to develop and "unholy" alliance with Le Chat ("The Cat"), a notorious criminal, who killed so many people. He's a truly amazing protagonist.
Roc LaFortune is simply superb as Mac's eternal rival - the captain Sylvio St-Louis (or "Sly") of the Montreal Police Forces. Even if he's acting stupidly sometimes, while doing his duty (he's an overzealous policeman who's ready to eradicate every criminal, who stands on his way), he's very cool to observe. Smoking a cigarette in a somewhat neat way, St-Louis casts a very special look on the spectator. It's unforgettable. Several comical situations occur with this character during the series. His phrase: "Lebel! Two sugars, one milk!" mentioned during the gas-station operation made me laugh so hard. By the way, sergeant Jipi Lebel (Jacques Lussier) is Sly's second-in-command, a cop who's very funny, but who tries to be serious (of course, he fails :)). Also, he's a favorite Sly's punching-ball. It's fun to watch their quarrels.
Two singers are also cast in "Le Negociateur": a veteran Quebec singer Eric Lapointe (playing the role of Le Chat - The Cat - a hardened criminal Mac confronts in the first two episodes) and Stephanie Lapointe (Colette, Mac's sister) - a new singer Quebec got acquainted with by Star Academie. I like them both as singers. And I also liked their performance. Eric is perfect for Le Chat's role (except the physical appearance he's also got this special voice of a true criminal). Stephanie is good too with a role of somewhat rebelling girl, playing a guitar in a band.
There's also Hector Dupuis (Julien Poulien, who also played the priest in my favorite Quebec film "15 February 1839"), Mac's friend and a photographer. I liked very much his special way of talking with his favorite line "Rule #1 in business...". It was very sad to watch the last episode in the series, where his life came to a sad conclusion.
There are other interesting characters in "Le Negociateur"... Each one is unique with his own fears and sentiments... The ones mentioned above are my favorite... But, overall, all the cast is very well picked and they give an excellent performance...
...The film has several good action sequences, but it's not a total "shoot 'em up" style of film. It's a drama, a thriller, and a good one. In particular, the third episode ("La station-service") is my favorite, featuring one of the best hostage rescue operation/building surrounded by police schematics I've ever seen. Other episodes are not less interesting. You understand all the hatred Mac has for Sly and vice versa... You understand all the difficulties endured by Mac's wife, Evelyne, because of Mac's profession and the sudden appearance of his son born from another woman... You understand all the risk experienced by Mac... Even the villains in the series are not your average typical villains... Each one of them has a convincing background story, like Mario Dube or Denis Pigeon, for example... Even Le Chat is particular...
Overall, if you like thrillers, you'll like it... There are no bad things I'd want to say about these TV-series... Well, except maybe the camera job (it's moving almost always, like in the battle scenes of "Saving Private Ryan") and the events flow (sometimes the story progresses somewhat too fast and some key scenes end way too simple - for example, I didn't really get, how Benoit Sorel was liberated and where are "Les mal-aimes" have gone)...
But, in general, this is a masterpiece... I hope to get the DVD one day...
And, of course, I'm waiting for the second season of "Le negociateur"... The story is far from its end... There are questions left unanswered and, of course, I would like to see some new thrilling negotiations cases...
Although I wasn't born in Quebec (I'm of Ukrainian heritage and I live in Montreal for only 4 years), I must say that the atmosphere of the time period shown in the TV-series and the decors illustrating this period are very convincing and well done (i.e. cars, buildings interiors, clothes, etc.). This is already a very big plus for the film.
But the very first thing I liked about these series is the way the characters are portrayed. Frederic de Granpre is very convincing in his role of Mac. Cloutier is smart, courageous and has a good sense of justice. He's not afraid to enter a gas-station and confront two daredevil robbers, who just took his sister and some other guys as hostages. He's not afraid to develop and "unholy" alliance with Le Chat ("The Cat"), a notorious criminal, who killed so many people. He's a truly amazing protagonist.
Roc LaFortune is simply superb as Mac's eternal rival - the captain Sylvio St-Louis (or "Sly") of the Montreal Police Forces. Even if he's acting stupidly sometimes, while doing his duty (he's an overzealous policeman who's ready to eradicate every criminal, who stands on his way), he's very cool to observe. Smoking a cigarette in a somewhat neat way, St-Louis casts a very special look on the spectator. It's unforgettable. Several comical situations occur with this character during the series. His phrase: "Lebel! Two sugars, one milk!" mentioned during the gas-station operation made me laugh so hard. By the way, sergeant Jipi Lebel (Jacques Lussier) is Sly's second-in-command, a cop who's very funny, but who tries to be serious (of course, he fails :)). Also, he's a favorite Sly's punching-ball. It's fun to watch their quarrels.
Two singers are also cast in "Le Negociateur": a veteran Quebec singer Eric Lapointe (playing the role of Le Chat - The Cat - a hardened criminal Mac confronts in the first two episodes) and Stephanie Lapointe (Colette, Mac's sister) - a new singer Quebec got acquainted with by Star Academie. I like them both as singers. And I also liked their performance. Eric is perfect for Le Chat's role (except the physical appearance he's also got this special voice of a true criminal). Stephanie is good too with a role of somewhat rebelling girl, playing a guitar in a band.
There's also Hector Dupuis (Julien Poulien, who also played the priest in my favorite Quebec film "15 February 1839"), Mac's friend and a photographer. I liked very much his special way of talking with his favorite line "Rule #1 in business...". It was very sad to watch the last episode in the series, where his life came to a sad conclusion.
There are other interesting characters in "Le Negociateur"... Each one is unique with his own fears and sentiments... The ones mentioned above are my favorite... But, overall, all the cast is very well picked and they give an excellent performance...
...The film has several good action sequences, but it's not a total "shoot 'em up" style of film. It's a drama, a thriller, and a good one. In particular, the third episode ("La station-service") is my favorite, featuring one of the best hostage rescue operation/building surrounded by police schematics I've ever seen. Other episodes are not less interesting. You understand all the hatred Mac has for Sly and vice versa... You understand all the difficulties endured by Mac's wife, Evelyne, because of Mac's profession and the sudden appearance of his son born from another woman... You understand all the risk experienced by Mac... Even the villains in the series are not your average typical villains... Each one of them has a convincing background story, like Mario Dube or Denis Pigeon, for example... Even Le Chat is particular...
Overall, if you like thrillers, you'll like it... There are no bad things I'd want to say about these TV-series... Well, except maybe the camera job (it's moving almost always, like in the battle scenes of "Saving Private Ryan") and the events flow (sometimes the story progresses somewhat too fast and some key scenes end way too simple - for example, I didn't really get, how Benoit Sorel was liberated and where are "Les mal-aimes" have gone)...
But, in general, this is a masterpiece... I hope to get the DVD one day...
And, of course, I'm waiting for the second season of "Le negociateur"... The story is far from its end... There are questions left unanswered and, of course, I would like to see some new thrilling negotiations cases...
See also
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