‘Misericordia’ Movie Review: Alain Guiraudie’s Small-Town Crime Story Merges Guilt & Desire
Photo from Sideshow/Janus Films
From Jeff Nelson
Alain Guiraudie’s Stranger by the Lake is the type of astonishing erotic thriller that entices with its use of sexuality and mystery. His latest film, Misericordia, has a similarly moody atmosphere and slow-building tension but with less precision. The characters and their evolving motives prove less compelling than the thematics looming beneath the surface. However, Guiraudie continues to showcase his ability to build a permeating tension in unlikely settings.
Jérémie (Félix Kysyl) returns to Saint-Martial for his late boss’ funeral. His grieving widow, Martine (Catherine Frot) allows him to stay while he reacquaints himself with the village, but his entanglement in the disappearance of her son, Vincent (Jean-Baptiste Durand), forces him to confront his greatest fears.
There is a rich history behind the present-day story. Jérémie makes the long trip into Saint-Martial, only to be met with an underlying friction with practically every person he crosses paths with. He once had a strong friendship with Vincent, but they fell out of touch. Jérémie has a similar dynamic with an imposing neighbor, Walter (David Ayala). Finally, Abbot Philippe (Jacques Develay) is a suspicious figure with his own motives. Despite Martine’s hardships, her hospitality is initially the closest thing to warmth Jérémie experiences in this village.
Guiraudie drops sizable breadcrumbs that recall a tumultuous past involving jealousy, unrequited romances, and other dramatic underpinnings. This rural slow-burn is built on repression in its many forms – sexual, romantic, anger, guilt, shame, and sadness. The family patriarch’s death reopens old wounds and inflicts new ones. Jérémie’s scattershot motivations grow more vague with each major plot development, leaving this enigmatic character without a clear definition.
He’s all consumed by the impulses that guide him into one uncomfortable situation after another. Guiraudie instills murky morality in every character’s stance, but he plays even the most serious subject matter with a dark comedic twist. These developments lead to some of the movie’s most profound ponderings, even if they aren’t very funny. Jérémie and Abbot Philippe’s interactions propel the story and its characters forward, all while unveiling the point Guiraudie is trying to make surrounding guilt and repression.
Martine is suspicious of Jérémie’s reasons for sticking around the rural village, and Guiraudie leaves the audience in a similar state of confusion. While these characters have a rich history, they’re more clearly defined by the emotions and desires that are harmfully repressed. The story spends most of its runtime following Jérémie (unintentionally?) stirring up old drama and eavesdropping on townsfolk who aren’t so convinced of his reasons to stick around. However, there is a point to it all. Guiraudie’s tense concoction of dramatics, thrills, and dark humor is overly labored until it finally strips itself down to the bones of its captivating thesis.
Rating: 3/5
Misericordia hits theaters on March 21st, 2025. Alain Guiraudie is touring the film through five American cities – Boston, New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago.
