Gang Story

Gang Story (aka Les Lyonnais) is a 70’s set thriller based on the autobiography of notorious French gangster Edmond Vidal, nicknamed Momon.

Growing up poor in a Romani gypsy camp, Momon Vidal (Gérard Lanvin) had his first brush with the law when, together with classmate Serge Suttel (Tchéky Karyo), he unwisely decided on stealing a crate of cherries. Thrown into jail for a very long time, the two bonded forever. Upon their release, they became the leaders of a brutal gang that staged a series of armed hold-ups and robberies around the area of Lyon (hence the French film title, ‘Les Lyonnais’). This they continued until they were caught in 1974 and locked away.

Marchal’s ambitious film is based upon Momon Vidal’s memoirs and fuses fact with fiction. The result, although engaging and complex, unfortunately doesn’t always work. The story unfolds via flashbacks, and Lanvin and Karyo (as well as all the other vital characters) have various on-screen incarnations ranging from very young (childhood) to adolescence to young man. Lanvin’s and Karyo’s physical resemblance to their younger counterparts will stretch anyone’s imagination, while the extensive use of flashbacks occasionally leaves the viewer confused rather than in the know-how (especially as more characters are introduced as the film goes on). The fact that the English dialogue is subtitled doesn’t make it any easier.

That out of the way, Gang Story redeems itself thanks to some very fine acting and an authentic feel for the 70’s era, although even Marchal couldn’t resist to dip it into a clichéd 1970’s colour code of brown and beige hues. Extreme violence follows scenes of domestic drama and reflections. The main protagonists aren’t merely portrayed as gangsters but as human beings who chose to follow the wrong path after a childhood riddled with poverty and prejudice.
Ultimately, it is a story about friendship, loyalty and life’s disillusionment rather than a flick endlessly depicting shoot-outs and car chases.