Anything for Her
Encyclopedia
Anything for Her is a 2008 French
thriller film starring Diane Kruger
and Vincent Lindon
, and is the directorial debut of Fred Cavayé. The film was remade in the United States
in 2010 as The Next Three Days
. It is based on a true story.
) and Lisa Aucler (Diane Kruger
) are a normal couple living happily with their infant son Oscar until one day, police storm into their apartment and arrest Lisa for murder and sentence her to 20 years in prison.
Three years later, Julien continues to try to find proof that Lisa is innocent, but no new evidence has turned up, and all prior evidence continues to point her as the prime suspect. The victim was her boss, whom she had a heated argument with on the day of the murder. The scene of the crime was a parking lot outside the office and the boss was killed by a blow to the forehead caused by a fire extinguisher, which had Lisa's fingerprints. It is revealed in a flashback that an unknown woman killed the boss and took her purse before walking away and bumping into Lisa. During the exchange, the boss' blood was smeared on Lisa's coat. She saw the fire extinguisher lying on the road in front of her car, so she picked it up and put it away before driving off, unaware that her boss laid dead on the parking slot beside her.
Seeing no other option, Julien turns to Henri Pasquet (Olivier Marchal
), a former criminal who has escaped from prison seven times and wrote a book about his escape methods. Pasquet explains to him that no prison is airtight and every one of them has a "key" that just has to be found. He also says that getting out is easy, but staying free is difficult, as most escapees make the mistake of running to their families or friends. With this, Pasquet advises the following to Julien: sever all family ties and flee from the country within hours, take flight from a foreign country's airport, choose the right identity for fake documents, go to a country with no ties to French communication, and have enough cash to last him and his family for several years. Back at home, Julien draws a mind map
on the wall, using all of the ideas recorded from his conversation with Pasquet. For the next three months, he visits the prison, observing every security routine and looking for any irregular activity that would lead him to the "key". The mind map wall in his home is filled with photos and diagrams of the prison complex.
One day, he is informed by Dr. Gardes (Frédéric Maranber) that Lisa, who is a diabetic, has refused to take her insulin
for the past few days; because of this, he fears that she is attempting to commit suicide through this method. When Julien talks to her about this, she explains that she does not want to see Oscar (Lancelot Roch) unhappy every time they visit. That night, Julien goes into a bad neighborhood to acquire fake documents; however, he is mugged and robbed by two men posing as the dealers. Back at home, a biker pays him a visit and offers to have fake documents done in a week, risk-free, for €2,500. The papers are exchanged a week later without a hitch. As an addition to his plan, Julien steals Lisa's medical records from a delivery van. He also sells all of his furniture as a means to raise enough money for the getaway.
Julien is suddenly informed that Lisa is to be transferred to Rennes
within three days. Desperate to have all of his funds ready, he makes an attempt to rob a bank, but turns away at the last minute. That night, he holds up a drug dealer, who leads him to a larger dealer named Martial Nashour (Moussa Maaskri). Julien recovers a large amount of money at the cost of Martial and the other dealer in a gunfight. The next day, Julien tears out the mind map from the wall and throws all of its contents away in a dumpster before leaving the apartment with Oscar. He then sneaks into the medical delivery van near the prison and plants an altered version of Lisa's records. He also abandons his car before renting a different car and staying at a hotel nearby with Oscar. Meanwhile, Dr. Gardes reads the medical records, forcing him to have Lisa transferred to the nearest hospital. At the same time, police investigate the scene of Martial's death and discover a piece of taillight from Julien's car. They see the connection and have officers head toward the hospital, knowing that Julien will be there.
At the hospital, Julien enters Lisa's room and has the guards disarmed while he retrieves his wife. They return to the hotel room, where Lisa is reunited with Oscar. The family then leaves France and arrive at Liège Airport
in Belgium
. Back at a police precinct, Julien's mind map is reassembled from the garbage recovered, but detectives decide it is too late to continue their pursuit, as the Auclers have fled to San Salvador
, El Salvador
, Central America
.
in Belgium
, Meaux
a commune in the Seine-et-Marne
department in the Île-de-France
region, Paris
as well as Spain
.
.
The Telegraph
praised the film's pace; "This French thriller hurtles along with hardly a pause...The dangers of being out of your depth in criminal dealings give Fred Cavayé's film plenty of pulse and urgency".
The Observer
described it as a "gripping" thriller and continued "The movie invites the audience to empathise with a decent man driven by despair into dangerous criminal activities and we're on his side from start to finish."
. It stars Russell Crowe
, Elizabeth Banks
and Liam Neeson
, and is directed by Paul Haggis
, the Oscar nominated director of Crash
.
Cinema of France
The Cinema of France comprises the art of film and creative movies made within the nation of France or by French filmmakers abroad.France is the birthplace of cinema and was responsible for many of its early significant contributions. Several important cinematic movements, including the Nouvelle...
thriller film starring Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger is a German actress and former fashion model. She is known for roles such as Helen in Troy, Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure and its sequel, Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds, Anna in Mr...
and Vincent Lindon
Vincent Lindon
Vincent Lindon is a French actor who has been active for more than 25 years.Lindon was a lover of Princess Caroline of Monaco from 1990 to 1995. He is currently separated from his wife, the French actress Sandrine Kiberlain.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
, and is the directorial debut of Fred Cavayé. The film was remade in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 2010 as The Next Three Days
The Next Three Days
The Next Three Days is a 2010 thriller film directed by Paul Haggis and starring Russell Crowe and Elizabeth Banks. It was released in the United States on November 19, 2010 and was filmed on location in Pittsburgh...
. It is based on a true story.
Plot
Julien (Vincent LindonVincent Lindon
Vincent Lindon is a French actor who has been active for more than 25 years.Lindon was a lover of Princess Caroline of Monaco from 1990 to 1995. He is currently separated from his wife, the French actress Sandrine Kiberlain.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
) and Lisa Aucler (Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger
Diane Kruger is a German actress and former fashion model. She is known for roles such as Helen in Troy, Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure and its sequel, Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds, Anna in Mr...
) are a normal couple living happily with their infant son Oscar until one day, police storm into their apartment and arrest Lisa for murder and sentence her to 20 years in prison.
Three years later, Julien continues to try to find proof that Lisa is innocent, but no new evidence has turned up, and all prior evidence continues to point her as the prime suspect. The victim was her boss, whom she had a heated argument with on the day of the murder. The scene of the crime was a parking lot outside the office and the boss was killed by a blow to the forehead caused by a fire extinguisher, which had Lisa's fingerprints. It is revealed in a flashback that an unknown woman killed the boss and took her purse before walking away and bumping into Lisa. During the exchange, the boss' blood was smeared on Lisa's coat. She saw the fire extinguisher lying on the road in front of her car, so she picked it up and put it away before driving off, unaware that her boss laid dead on the parking slot beside her.
Seeing no other option, Julien turns to Henri Pasquet (Olivier Marchal
Olivier Marchal
Olivier Marchal is a French actor, director, screenwriter, and a former policeman. In 2005, he was nominated for three César Awards , for his film 36 Quai des Orfèvres....
), a former criminal who has escaped from prison seven times and wrote a book about his escape methods. Pasquet explains to him that no prison is airtight and every one of them has a "key" that just has to be found. He also says that getting out is easy, but staying free is difficult, as most escapees make the mistake of running to their families or friends. With this, Pasquet advises the following to Julien: sever all family ties and flee from the country within hours, take flight from a foreign country's airport, choose the right identity for fake documents, go to a country with no ties to French communication, and have enough cash to last him and his family for several years. Back at home, Julien draws a mind map
Mind map
A mind map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks, or other items linked to and arranged around a central key word or idea. Especially in British English, the terms spidergram and spidergraph are more common, but they can cause confusion with the term spider diagram used in mathematics...
on the wall, using all of the ideas recorded from his conversation with Pasquet. For the next three months, he visits the prison, observing every security routine and looking for any irregular activity that would lead him to the "key". The mind map wall in his home is filled with photos and diagrams of the prison complex.
One day, he is informed by Dr. Gardes (Frédéric Maranber) that Lisa, who is a diabetic, has refused to take her insulin
Insulin
Insulin is a hormone central to regulating carbohydrate and fat metabolism in the body. Insulin causes cells in the liver, muscle, and fat tissue to take up glucose from the blood, storing it as glycogen in the liver and muscle....
for the past few days; because of this, he fears that she is attempting to commit suicide through this method. When Julien talks to her about this, she explains that she does not want to see Oscar (Lancelot Roch) unhappy every time they visit. That night, Julien goes into a bad neighborhood to acquire fake documents; however, he is mugged and robbed by two men posing as the dealers. Back at home, a biker pays him a visit and offers to have fake documents done in a week, risk-free, for €2,500. The papers are exchanged a week later without a hitch. As an addition to his plan, Julien steals Lisa's medical records from a delivery van. He also sells all of his furniture as a means to raise enough money for the getaway.
Julien is suddenly informed that Lisa is to be transferred to Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
within three days. Desperate to have all of his funds ready, he makes an attempt to rob a bank, but turns away at the last minute. That night, he holds up a drug dealer, who leads him to a larger dealer named Martial Nashour (Moussa Maaskri). Julien recovers a large amount of money at the cost of Martial and the other dealer in a gunfight. The next day, Julien tears out the mind map from the wall and throws all of its contents away in a dumpster before leaving the apartment with Oscar. He then sneaks into the medical delivery van near the prison and plants an altered version of Lisa's records. He also abandons his car before renting a different car and staying at a hotel nearby with Oscar. Meanwhile, Dr. Gardes reads the medical records, forcing him to have Lisa transferred to the nearest hospital. At the same time, police investigate the scene of Martial's death and discover a piece of taillight from Julien's car. They see the connection and have officers head toward the hospital, knowing that Julien will be there.
At the hospital, Julien enters Lisa's room and has the guards disarmed while he retrieves his wife. They return to the hotel room, where Lisa is reunited with Oscar. The family then leaves France and arrive at Liège Airport
Liège Airport
Liège Airport , also called Liège-Bierset, is an important cargo airport in Belgium. It was at the end of 2009 the 8th biggest cargo airport in Europe...
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. Back at a police precinct, Julien's mind map is reassembled from the garbage recovered, but detectives decide it is too late to continue their pursuit, as the Auclers have fled to San Salvador
San Salvador
The city of San Salvador the capital and largest city of El Salvador, which has been designated a Gamma World City. Its complete name is La Ciudad de Gran San Salvador...
, El Salvador
El Salvador
El Salvador or simply Salvador is the smallest and the most densely populated country in Central America. The country's capital city and largest city is San Salvador; Santa Ana and San Miguel are also important cultural and commercial centers in the country and in all of Central America...
, Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
.
Cast
- Vincent LindonVincent LindonVincent Lindon is a French actor who has been active for more than 25 years.Lindon was a lover of Princess Caroline of Monaco from 1990 to 1995. He is currently separated from his wife, the French actress Sandrine Kiberlain.-Selected filmography:-External links:...
as Julien Aucler - Diane KrugerDiane KrugerDiane Kruger is a German actress and former fashion model. She is known for roles such as Helen in Troy, Dr. Abigail Chase in National Treasure and its sequel, Bridget von Hammersmark in Inglourious Basterds, Anna in Mr...
as Lisa Aucler - Lancelot Roch as Oscar Aucler
- Liliane Rovère as Julien's mother
- Olivier Perrier as Julien's father
- Thierry Godard as Pascal Aucler
- Olivier MarchalOlivier MarchalOlivier Marchal is a French actor, director, screenwriter, and a former policeman. In 2005, he was nominated for three César Awards , for his film 36 Quai des Orfèvres....
as Henri Pasquet - Hammou Graïa as Commandant Susini
- Rémi Martin as Capitaine Jousseaume
- Frédéric Maranber as Dr. Gardes
- Moussa Maaskri as Martial Nashour
- Joseph Beddelem as Hassan
- Alaa Oumouzoune as Moussa
- Dorothée Tavernier as Nathalie
Production
The filming schedule encompassed several locations in Europe. These included LiègeLiège
Liège is a major city and municipality of Belgium located in the province of Liège, of which it is the economic capital, in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium....
in Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Meaux
Meaux
Meaux is a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department in the Île-de-France region in the metropolitan area of Paris, France. It is located east-northeast from the center of Paris. Meaux is a sub-prefecture of the department and the seat of an arondissement...
a commune in the Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne
Seine-et-Marne is a French department, named after the Seine and Marne rivers, and located in the Île-de-France region.- History:Seine-et-Marne is one of the original 83 departments, created on March 4, 1790 during the French Revolution in application of the law of December 22, 1789...
department in the Île-de-France
Île-de-France (région)
Île-de-France is the wealthiest and most populated of the twenty-two administrative regions of France, composed mostly of the Paris metropolitan area....
region, Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
as well as Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
.
Reception
The film was generally well-received by critics. It currently holds a 78% fresh rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
The Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
praised the film's pace; "This French thriller hurtles along with hardly a pause...The dangers of being out of your depth in criminal dealings give Fred Cavayé's film plenty of pulse and urgency".
The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
described it as a "gripping" thriller and continued "The movie invites the audience to empathise with a decent man driven by despair into dangerous criminal activities and we're on his side from start to finish."
Remake
An American remake, entitled The Next Three Days, was released on November 19 20102010 in film
The year 2010 saw many new films released worldwide. 2010 saw a dramatic increase and prominence in the use of 3D-technology in filmmaking and film releases after the success of Avatar in the format, with releases such as Alice in Wonderland, Clash of the Titans, Jackass 3D, all animated films and...
. It stars Russell Crowe
Russell Crowe
Russell Ira Crowe is a New Zealander Australian actor , film producer and musician. He came to international attention for his role as Roman General Maximus Decimus Meridius in the 2000 historical epic film Gladiator, directed by Ridley Scott, for which he won an Academy Award for Best Actor, a...
, Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Banks
Elizabeth Maresal Mitchell , known professionally as Elizabeth Banks, is an American actress. Banks had her film debut in the low-budget independent film Surrender Dorothy...
and Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
, and is directed by Paul Haggis
Paul Haggis
Paul Edward Haggis is a Canadian screenwriter, producer, and director. He spent his early career producing and directing various American and Canadian television network series.-Early life and education:...
, the Oscar nominated director of Crash
Crash (2004 film)
Crash is a 2004 American drama film co-written, produced, and directed by Paul Haggis. The film is about racial and social tensions in Los Angeles, California. A self-described "passion piece" for Haggis, Crash was inspired by a real life incident in which his Porsche was carjacked outside a video...
.
External links
- Anything for Her at the Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...