Filmmaker Lucas Delangle's The Strange Case of Jacky Caillou (originally simply Jacky Caillou) is in the "horror" category but sidesteps expected tacky-commercial genre shocks in favor of subtle, mounting paranormal dread, with a coming-of-age background. Thanks to its French origins and dialogue (which is rather sparse), the title is destined for the international cinema shelves but deserves wider attention from viewers who do not mind the patient approach or absence of monsters spawned by the Henson Creature Shop.
The setting is the rural French Alps (some of the cliff-side compositions are truly breathtaking). Following the deaths of his parents, Thomas Caillou (Thomas Parigi), known to all as `Jacky,' has been raised by his grandmother, a traditional village shamaness, who aspires to restore health to both people and animals. Jacky himself is unsure whether to continue the family tradition—he is more enthused about composing and recording his own idiosyncratic, baffling music and lyrics.
Still, he receives some training in the uncanny faith-healing arts from the wise old woman, who is concerned for the virginal youth and his future. After she dies, Jacky believes he has at least some of the ancestral supernatural powers. His talents appear promising when he applies hands-on skills to an attractive girl (Lou Lampros) afflicted with a troubling, persistent growth on her shoulder.
But then things get darker—taking a positively lycanthropic turn, in fact, and to say more would spoil too many surprises, as modern-world suspense blends with ancient folklore in a manner that may remind longtime cineastes of Peter Weir's classic The Last Wave (1977), if only not so apocalyptic.
Delangle's realistic approach to the supernatural eschews trendy CGI special f/x and might even leave room for doubt in viewers' minds whether Jacky's hormonal POV can be trusted, or if there is a "rational" explanation for the bizarre events.
While some viewers might wish for fewer long-take shots of unmistakably French, dour peasant faces, the violence is seldom shown directly, and nudity is sidestepped. Tasteful, intelligent treatment of potential grisly material (one can hardly imagine this even getting a strong PG-13 rating) is laudable indeed. Recommended, and worthy of discovery by the YA viewer element who still argue whether Bella should have picked hunky werewolf Jacob in the Twilight series.