Security van driver Toni Musulin (Francois Cluzet) is bored with life. Tired of his dead-end job and stuck in a dying relationship, he decides to take action. Hatching a plan to vanish with his van’s contents of loaded cash, he sets wheels in motion. Living on the edge with little to lose, his anger towards big business finds favour in unexpected quarters.
Beginning in 2008 when the global financial crisis started to bite, 11.6 examines people’s reactions to formerly powerful money-makers. With bankers instantly becoming villains, those who fought against the cashed-up system were heralded as heroes. Based on true events, Musulin’s exploits struck a chord with workers weary of being taken for granted. His story mirrored those of his friends and co-workers with Musulin the exception among them in daring to take action.
Director Philippe Godeau makes a reasonable attempt in unearthing Musulin’s motivations. He doesn’t quite succeed as one can never truly know what goes inside a person’s mind. However he reveals some of Musulin’s emotional complexities via his remote relationships and stoic determination. How these drove him in his quest provide interest with his friend’s differing reactions exposing humanity’s fluid morality.
11.6 is an often-engaging piece about mixed moralities and money’s allure. It doesn’t answer some of the questions it poses but is an interesting essay on a turbulent moment in the world’s recent past.
Reviewed by Patrick Moore
Rating out of 10: 7
The Alliance Française French Film Festival screens exclusively at the Palace Nova Eastend cinemas from 20 March – 8 April 2014.
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