“what makes “La Balance” ever so much more absorbing than the ordinary crime movie is that it’s more interested in the lives than in the crimes... ”
Screened in tribute to Nathalie Baye (1948 - 2026)
When a police informant ("balance") is murdered, the cops have to scramble for a replacement in order to bust drug kingpin Roger Massina (Maurice Ronet). Deciding to employ pimp Dede Laffont (Philippe Léotard), they begin to put a nasty squeeze on him and his girlfriend/employee Nicole (Nathalie Baye) placing them in a perilous situation... La Balance was a critical smash upon its release, winning the prestigious César Awards for Best Film, Actor and Actress.