When a former diplomat is found dead in his study Maigret is called into discreetly see if he can find out who killed him.
I am a fan of the Maigret character. I enjoy the various versions of the mysteries. I particularly love watching how French filmmakers have brought the character to the screen. At the same time I don't know what to say about this film.
Playing like an extended TV episode, the film doesn't really go anywhere. While you want to see where this is going the film has zero character development. There is no real sense about any of the people on the screen. Its as if we are are coming to an episode of season five of TV series where eveyone is established and the writers are using a short hand. I honestly can't believe that this is based on a novel because eveything that makes the novels work is stripped away to the bare minimal plot.
To be honest the film mostly works because the cast sells it. I enjoyed it watching for the most part, though I would hate to pay current movie prices to see it. Slightness of the plot aside, my real problem with the film comes at the end when after the mystery is solved there is a three month later addendum which causes the plotting to come crashing down- since there is no way, as the plot is revealed that the final revelation would have taken 3 months to be revealed. It feels added on and a betrayal of the character.
While the film is worth seeing beyond the flaws, I would wait until it streams.
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