In his first feature film, Belgian director Michel Blanchardt takes a simple, familiar action movie setting and gives it his own spin by adding relevant social commentary. In Night Call, Maddy (Jonathan Veltri), a young locksmith, spends a violent and eventful evening in Brussels. He tangles with sinister characters, makes influential friendships, and runs against the clock to save himself. Blanchardt proves adept at giving his entire ensemble different shades, changing the audience’s allegiances and making his film much more than just your usual brutal action thriller.
Claire (Natasha Crieff) calls Maddie, a mysterious but kind woman, to unlock her apartment after she lost her keys. After she flirts with him, he allows her to trick him and escapes by stealing a large plastic bag. Suddenly he is alone in a stranger’s apartment and looks like a thief. The bag contains a lot of money, the stranger is a violent gangster, and soon Maddie is on the run himself with a whole gang of bad guys after him. Among the gangsters chasing him are the menacing Yannick (Romain Duris) and his tough but sensitive enforcer Theo (Jonas Bloquet).
Maddie is a smart and resourceful young man. Using his intelligence, he was able to make his opponents believe in his innocence. His talent as a locksmith came in handy several times, enabling him to keep bad guys away – for a while, anyway. But it’s not long before people start getting murdered, and a cat-and-mouse chase gets closer to Maddie, with dangerous and deadly consequences. All this is happening on a night when Brussels is witnessing widespread protests against the police over the killing of a young black man.
At first, these demos are on the periphery of the film, more like background noise than an integral part of the plot. Slowly, they become the driving force of the narrative, giving “Night Call” meaningful social heft. Maddie only joins when it suits him, believing that being in the crowd will help him escape. However, as he begins to understand the true nature of what he is involved in, the similarities to what is happening in the city become clear.
In addition to his interest in social issues, Blanchardt has proven himself adept at making action films. “Night Call” flows easily from one set piece to the next. As he mentioned in his press releases, Blanchardt is clearly influenced by American thrillers such as “Colliteral” and “Training Day.” There’s even a direct homage to the former, with a chase scene inside a raucous nightclub. However, this is a clever tribute and not just a copy and paste of the genre’s triumphs. Blanchardt has a keen eye and discerning flair. Additionally, Sylvester Vanorenberg’s photography keeps the action cohesive while capturing the nuances of the numerous performances.
With her intimidating presence, Doris plays the role of a sinister villain. Bloquet reminds us of the role played by his compatriot Matthias Schoenaerts in Rust and Bone, where he shaded his character with a similar masculine sympathy. But it’s Feltre’s central performance that holds the film together. His eyes are wide, his face filled with fear – this drive to survive carries the film through many plot twists. He’s believable as someone who commits crimes, but also as someone who hums Petula Clark’s tender “La Nuit N’en Finit Plus” while he works.
For audiences looking for an action-packed adventure, Night Call delivers on its promise. But it also serves as an introduction to a writer-director who knows the genre and wants to give it a modern twist full of topical issues. By covering this broader palette, “Night Call” reveals itself to be more than one man’s nightmarish saga. By giving the audience realistic issues to chew on, it sets itself apart from the usual programmer fare.