La Syndicaliste

Maureen Kearney (Isabelle Huppert) is a union liaison officer employed by French nuclear energy giant that is in the stages of change with her boss Anne Lauvergeon (Marian Foïs) on her way out.

Lauvergeon’s successor is a much more corporate minded individual where workers’ rights are not on a par with getting the company back into the forefront of nuclear development with competition from a huge rival and the Chinese.

Kearney investigating the issues at hand finds high level of corporate, political and international interactions. Her findings ruffle a few feathers, leading to political and industry attacks, later followed by her being hideously assaulted and raped in her home.

While going through the forensic process doubts as to the veracity of her story are raised, with the coppers deciding to shift attention to her. The develop a theory that she staged the assault, citing her past mental frailty as evidence and psychiatric report citing her capacity for invention. This turns into a case turning Kearney’s world upside down.

There is lot to unpack in this film based on true case that spans many years. That director Jean-Paul Salomé, co-written with Fadette Drouard, have managed to keep it coherent and engrossing is something of a feat.

Aided by a powerful nuanced performance from Huppert as she’s mentally and physically abused, hitting almighty depths of despair that in turn strengthen her resolve to take back control of the situation and her life.

It’s a complex film that deals with high politics and industry intrigue, mental and family issues involving many characters and interests. The skill here is that none of this is peripheral to Kearney’s case as the dealings start to come to light, but they don’t overwhelm her story.

With support drifting away from Kearney, others self-interests come to the fore, leading to an element of paranoia about the case posing to the viewer that maybe she was making her story up, or that she actually begins to believe that she did.

What also comes into play is the male-centric powerplay at all levels. The police are particularly bad, save for a lone female cop who actually does some detection. It’s a toxic blend of stubborn egos and mental weakness that in one scene sees Kearney’s new boss throw a chair at her during a board meeting when told things he doesn’t want to hear.

The intricacies of the deals and the politics will probably have more resonance in France, but as a thriller drama and Huppert in terrific form La Syndicaliste should hold the attention of the layman viewer.

La Syndicaliste will be in UK cinemas from 30 June 2023