Film Review: The Pact of Silence (Le Pacte du silence, 2003)

Secret of enjoying films often comes to the right level of expectations. In case of The Pact of Silence, 2003 French thriller directed by Graham Guit, it is essential not to expect too much.

The protagonist, played by Gerard Depardieu, is Father Joachim, man who had a shady and violent past before finding religion and becoming both a physician and ordained Catholic priest. He is summoned to Carmelite monastery in Brazil to treat Sister Sarah (played by Elodie Bouchez), young nun suffering from mysterious abdominal pains. Father Joachim gradually learns that Sarah has a twin sister Gaëlle (also played by Bouchez) in France and that she is in prison serving sentence for apparently killing an infant. He begins to suspect that the sisters share strange connections, but his investigation gradually reveals strange web of conspiracy and family secrets.

Script by Rose Bosch had an basic premise that could have been used very differently resulting in very different films, ranging from serious psychological thrillers, supernatural horror or trashy exploitation very much like Italian giallo classics. Director Graham Guit, however, goes for more conventional route and, apparently, allows plot to gets too convoluted and affected by series of implausibilities ending in somewhat disappointing finale. Those flaws are however, compensated by relatively high production values, exotic setting and good cast, which involves Depardieu, giant of French cinema, in one of his more subdued roles and Elodie Bouchez bravely handling very demanding double role. Their efforts are helped by veteran Spanish actress Carmen Maura in the role of head nun. The Pact of Silence also benefits from fast pace and wraps up nicely around hour and half of running time, thus making itself digestible for audience without too much expectations.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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