Film Review: The Fall of the American Empire (La chute de l'empire américain, 2018)
The comparison between the United States of America and the Roman Empire has become a ubiquitous cliché in contemporary discourse, a fashionable retort to American hegemony. However, few filmmakers have managed to construct a career out of this thematic territory quite like the Canadian auteur Denys Arcand. Arcand first rose to international prominence with the 1986 comedy The Decline of the American Empire, a film that posited a thesis of civilisational decay where personal pleasure supplanted the public good. He followed this triumph with the 2003 Oscar-winning sequel The Barbarian Invasions, which deepened the exploration of mortality and generational conflict against a backdrop of global turmoil. The trilogy was formally concluded with the much more disappointing 2007 comedy Days of Darkness, a misanthropic work that struggled to find its footing. Yet, Arcand’s thematic obsession with the decaying grand civilisation did not die with Days of Darkness. Instead, it resurfaced in his penultimate film, the 2018 crime drama The Fall of the American Empire, a spiritual successor that returns to the themes of greed, morality, and societal collapse in a modern Montreal setting.
The protagonist of this endeavour is Pierre-Paoul Doust (Alexandre Landry). Doust is a man who considers himself an intellectual, an educated individual versed in philosophy. Yet, he is bitterly aware of the hollowness of his credentials, viewing his degree as practically useless in the brutal struggle for survival. He earns his living as a lowly delivery service driver, a humble existence that clashes with his self-image as a refined thinker. This internal conflict leads to a pivotal moment in his relationship with Linda Demers (Florence Longpré), a divorced bank teller and single mother. When he admits his lack of perspective to her, the relationship fractures, and they break up. However, a stroke of serendipitous misfortune soon alters the trajectory of his life.
That fateful event is a botched robbery at a high-end boutique that serves as the bank for Montreal’s criminal underworld. Due to the unexpected presence of a security guard, the heist goes spectacularly wrong, resulting in the deaths of one robber and the guard, while another flees limping. Crucially, two massive bags of money are left behind. Pierre-Paoul, who happens to be making a delivery to the location, seizes the opportunity to solve his immediate problems. He grabs the bags, drives them home, and later claims merely to have been a passive witness to the incident. However, the police are not convinced. Sergeant Pete LaBauve (Louis Morisette) and Carla McDuff (Maxim Roy) begin to suspect Doust of holding back information. Realising he must offload the cash quickly, he enlists the help of Camille Lafontain (Maripier Morin), known by her escort alias Aspasie, played by Maripier Morin. He also seeks the counsel of Sylvain “The Brain” Bigras (Rémy Girard), a former biker recently released from prison who possesses the necessary experience in money laundering. The linchpin of the scheme is provided by Aspasie’s former client Wilbrod Taschereau (Pierre Curzi), a high-priced and politically connected attorney specialising in tax evasion. Together, this eclectic group concocts a plan to launder Pierre-Paoul’s fortune through an international network of fake charities.
While the premise of a crime going very wrong and an ordinary citizen involuntarily becoming an accomplice bears a superficial resemblance to the Tarantinoesque black comedies popular in the late 20th century, Denys Arcand actually drew his inspiration from a much more grounded source. The film was sparked by real-life events that shook Montreal in 2010—a shooting at a high-priced boutique that served as a front for local gangs, resulting in two gangland deaths. Arcand speculated on the hypothetical scenario: what would happen if an ordinary citizen found themselves in possession of such illicit wealth? The result is a crime drama that balances socioeconomic commentary with a genuine thrill, punctuated by moments of dry social satire.
As is characteristic of Arcand’s most successful work, he uses the plot not merely as a mechanism for entertainment but as a vehicle to comment on broader global issues and their impact on his native Quebec. In many ways, the protagonist, Pierre-Paoul, serves as a mouthpiece for the director’s own thoughts. Doust is a man who considers himself a failure despite his erudition. He notes that the same patterns of failure, serious flaws, and decadence that plague him could be applied to the elite of society—philosophers, writers, and politicians. The film is particularly sharp in its commentary on the political climate of the time, with Pierre-Paoul explicitly calling the voters of Donald Trump “imbeciles.” Furthermore, the protagonist observes the tangible effects of the global economic crisis, notably the large number of homeless people on the street, particularly Indigenous and Inuit citizens. This awareness is not merely observational; Doust actively participates in the suffering of others by volunteering in soup kitchens and shelters, grounding his intellectual critique in physical reality.
Despite the weight of the social commentary, the film does not descend into a tedious political rant. Arcand demonstrates considerable directorial skill, particularly in the way he depicts the mechanics of the crime itself. The scenes involving the robbery, the assassinations, and the various ingenious methods Pierre-Paoul and his co-conspirators must employ to deceive the police are executed with precision and tension. The Fall of the American Empire functions surprisingly well as a genuine crime thriller. The narrative moves with a brisk pace, and despite its two-hour runtime, the film passes relatively quickly, engaging the audience on multiple levels.
A significant factor in the film’s success is undoubtedly its cast. Arcand reunites with veteran collaborators Rémy Girard and Pierre Curzi, both of whom work seamlessly with the much younger Alexandre Landry. Their performances lend an air of authenticity to the proceedings, grounding the fantastical elements in human emotion. Landry is convincing as a man out of his depth, while Morin, a popular Quebecois television presenter, makes a very convincing debut as the high-class escort with her own agenda. The chemistry between the generations of actors helps bridge the gap between the film’s comedic undertones and its dramatic core.
However, if there is a serious flaw in this film, it lies in its auditory landscape. The soundtrack relies heavily on a selection of classical themes that leans towards the pretentious. While classical music can often enhance a cinematic experience, the utilisation here feels forced and sometimes undermines the naturalistic tone of the dialogue and the gritty realism of the heist scenes.
Furthermore, the film suffers from a somewhat rushed ending. In an effort to wrap up the convoluted plot involving money laundering, betrayals, and police investigations, Arcand condenses the final act, resulting in a conclusion that does not tie up all loose ends. While this style is becoming more common in modern cinema, viewers who prefer the more conventional, neatly resolved conclusions typical of classic crime thrillers may find the ending slightly off-putting. The narrative feels truncated, leaving certain character arcs hanging in the air without satisfying resolution.
Despite these minor imperfections, The Fall of the American Empire is a noteworthy entry in Denys Arcand’s filmography. It serves as a bridge between the intellectual banter of his 1986 masterpiece and the emotionally charged tragedy of The Barbarian Invasions, eschewing the chaotic misanthropy of Days of Darkness. It successfully bridges social satire and genuine suspense, offering a critique of modern society that is both observant and biting. While the soundtrack and the ending leave room for criticism, the film succeeds in its primary goal: to entertain while offering a sharp reflection on the empire in which we currently reside.
RATING: 6/10 (++)
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