Mady ends up being in the proverbial wrong place at the wrong time. Arriving to open the unit causes him to cross paths with Yannick (Romain Duris), a gangster whose money Claire has stolen from the apartment and absconded with. He’s given the rest of the night to find her and retrieve the cash – or die. What follows is a race through the city, with the earnest locksmith trying to figure out where Claire is hiding and how he can lure her out.
Director Michiel Blanchart gives Night Call a breathless pace that keeps you on edge throughout. Every few minutes, there’s a new challenge that Mady has to meet. It all moves so briskly that you don’t have time to focus on any minor things that are implausible. Additional excitement comes from the plot’s unpredictable developments. During the middle section of the film, Mady stumbles upon a piece of information that complicates his situation while simultaneously offering a potential way out. How that unfolds is clever.
While not a message movie by any stretch of the imagination, the BLM movement figures prominently into the story, including one of its most tense action scenes. The fact is not lost that Mady is Black, whereas Yannick is white. Does the locksmith’s life matter to the gangster? Absolutely not. He’s viewed as disposable, allowed to live only as long as he maintains his usefulness. Viewers uninclined to indulge in that underlying theme can simply enjoy the thrills. Those who do indulge will find an extra layer of meaning in the grand finale.
Jonathan Feltre, in only his second feature, proves to be a real discovery. Script-wise, we learn very little about Mady before the madness begins. The actor fills in the gaps along the way, showing his character’s decency, his wit, and his ability to think on his feet, which he must do continually. It’s a performance that makes you sit up and take notice.
Night Call contains stylishly executed chase scenes and brawls, along with several pleasurably wicked twists. The film runs 97 minutes yet feels like it goes by in 97 seconds. When the end credits start to roll, you feel juiced because your adrenaline has been pumping nonstop.
out of four
Night Call is unrated, but contains strong language, violence, and some drug content. The running time is 1 hour and 37 minutes.
© 2025 Mike McGranaghan