DVD Movie Review: Racer and the Jailbird

Racer and the Jailbird (UK Rating: 15)

The film begins in a fairly engaging way, establishing how Gigi and Bibi first cross paths in the paddocks. Unfortunately, despite a lot of good chemistry between the two actors, their developing relationship is paced quite poorly, suffering from some sequencing mis-shifts that undermine the full-throttle nature of their love narrative. In other words, things just aren't pieced together carefully enough, which means that the viewer may not feel all that invested in the characters as the momentum really gathers, despite all the intrigue within their love tragedy. The final two thirds of the viewing experience mostly revolve around Gigi's life as a professional bank robber and his inevitable undoing. The film rather coughs and splutters through these increasingly intense scenes, and in the final two phases, the love narrative descends into disappointingly silly melodrama. This reduces Bibi to less than she ought to be and turns Gigi into a bit of a bore.

Racer and the Jailbird could have been another hugely significant work for Adele Exarchopoulos, but Bibi's actions and depiction often come across as questionable, especially when juxtaposed with the strong independent woman met at the beginning. Strangely, the film betrays the idea that she has inner strength and mental fortitude, deriving from her successful career as a female racing car driver, by having her instantaneously fall in love. It over-pedals her implied fragility of mind as soon as she suspects her partner is deceiving her, and this becomes even worse once the couple is separated. All this comes across as quite unlikely and rather old fashioned. Without spoiling the story, it's fair to say the final two thirds of the film reduce Bibi to a helpless, frustrating character, with poor motivation. Needless to say, this is the central reason why the film just cannot be placed in the same bracket as Drive and Wild at Heart. Considering the director's track record, it is a surprisingly flawed package, which doesn't seem anywhere near as well developed as his other projects.

6/10

Good

Overall, after having to adjust expectations, it's hard to settle down and accept the narrative as a whole. Racer and the Jailbird is worth watching for those who are into their crime thrillers, and can tolerate love tragedy components. However, there's no denying that the film does not provide what its target audience is probably expecting. The fatal flaw is the poor structure and the even worse pacing, which inhibits the development of the lead characters. The action sequences are raw and immersive, but they are not embedded in anything of thematic significance or value. Presented differently, Gigi and Bibi could have been memorable star-crossed lovers. Instead, both seem stunted, muted personalities, with too many question marks left hanging over their heads. It could have been a modern classic, but the characterisation is just not strong enough. Racer and the Jailbird is a missed opportunity, proving to be rapid and intense, but too incoherent.