The Conquest

Since Nicolas Sarkozy is currently involved in a re-election campaign for the French presidency, this film about his rise to the office between 2002 and 2007 is particularly timely—and rather frightening. Sarkozy is painted as a ruthless striver with a chip on his shoulder who decides every issue on the basis of electoral expediency rather than principle, although others—particularly sitting President Jacques Chirac, in whose cabinet Sarkozy serves, and Sarkozy's party rival Dominque de Villepin—come off no better, constantly denigrating Sarkozy's family background and diminutive size behind his back while conniving to derail his meteoric rise. The Conquest serves up a thoroughly cynical view of the French political process, not to mention Sarkozy's domestic life—his marriage to his longtime chief advisor was disintegrating just as his career was starting to take off. But the script is clever, director Xavier Durringer stages the story like a breathless high-speed chase, and the leads—Denis Podalydès as Sarkozy, Bernard Le Coq as Chirac, and Samuel Labarthe as De Villepin—are dead ringers for the politicians. An entertaining critique of Gallic politics, this is recommended. [Note: DVD extras include a “making-of” featurette (35 min.) and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a timely biopic.] (F. Swietek)