I loved this film and would have given it a 10 had it not had a major problem with the plot towards the beginning of the film. Michel Duchaussoy is looking to find the hit and run driver who killed his son and has almost no clues to assist him. However, after a little searching, the first important clue is almost magically given to him! Now if you ignore this inconsistency, the rest of the film is great. This silly clue leads him to the passenger in the car--who turns out to be a rather decent person (though you must admit she is very weak because she let the driver bully her into silence). Duchaussoy initially fakes interest in this woman to find out if SHE was the driver or if she would reveal who it was, though along the way is seems he really does being to fall for her. VERY slowly he is able to gather that the driver was her brother-in-law. A little bit later, they get an invitation to stay at the sister and brother-in-law's home and he is eager to go and confront the murderer.
Fortunately for Duchaussoy, the man is completely horrid in almost every way (unlike the sweet girlfriend). It's easy to hate him and want revenge--heck, almost everyone around this "man" wanted him dead, it seems. However, revenge isn't something rushed and along the way he gets to know the family--particularly the decent but woefully abused son of the murderer. One of the most poignant scenes in the film is when this boy comments that he wishes his father was dead and would like to have Duchaussoy for a dad, instead.
Finally, the hero plans to drown the evil murderer, since the villain hates water and apparently can't swim. However, when they are out on the rough seas, the jerk informs him that he found and read Duchaussoy's diary and KNOWS he's planning on killing him, so he gave the book to his lawyer JUST IN CASE! Well, the plot is over and Duchaussoy and his girlfriend are thrown out of the house. BUT, Duchaussoy is happy and goes out to celebrate--presumably because he can now prove who the murderer is. At the restaurant where he is celebrating, the TV news reports that the killer was himself poisoned and the police were looking for Duchaussoy. Duchaussoy returns and is the prime suspect. BUT, considering that there is the diary that discusses his plans to kill the man, police are unwilling to arrest him because the diary was now known to all--plus nearly everyone had a motive for killing him! Well, at the very end the police inspector reasons that Duchaussoy STILL is the murderer. However, the dead man's son then admits to killing his father with rat poison. However, in the next scene, he leaves his lady friend a note admitting he REALLY was the man who was the killer. HOWEVER, the way this was done (where it appears Duchaussoy is about to kill himself) and the strong possibility that he only finally admitted to the killing because he cared for the boy and wanted to provide him with an alibi are brilliant. This uncertainty and the plot twists really made the film.
Fortunately for Duchaussoy, the man is completely horrid in almost every way (unlike the sweet girlfriend). It's easy to hate him and want revenge--heck, almost everyone around this "man" wanted him dead, it seems. However, revenge isn't something rushed and along the way he gets to know the family--particularly the decent but woefully abused son of the murderer. One of the most poignant scenes in the film is when this boy comments that he wishes his father was dead and would like to have Duchaussoy for a dad, instead.
Finally, the hero plans to drown the evil murderer, since the villain hates water and apparently can't swim. However, when they are out on the rough seas, the jerk informs him that he found and read Duchaussoy's diary and KNOWS he's planning on killing him, so he gave the book to his lawyer JUST IN CASE! Well, the plot is over and Duchaussoy and his girlfriend are thrown out of the house. BUT, Duchaussoy is happy and goes out to celebrate--presumably because he can now prove who the murderer is. At the restaurant where he is celebrating, the TV news reports that the killer was himself poisoned and the police were looking for Duchaussoy. Duchaussoy returns and is the prime suspect. BUT, considering that there is the diary that discusses his plans to kill the man, police are unwilling to arrest him because the diary was now known to all--plus nearly everyone had a motive for killing him! Well, at the very end the police inspector reasons that Duchaussoy STILL is the murderer. However, the dead man's son then admits to killing his father with rat poison. However, in the next scene, he leaves his lady friend a note admitting he REALLY was the man who was the killer. HOWEVER, the way this was done (where it appears Duchaussoy is about to kill himself) and the strong possibility that he only finally admitted to the killing because he cared for the boy and wanted to provide him with an alibi are brilliant. This uncertainty and the plot twists really made the film.