Towards Zero

A lightweight but entertaining adaptation of a classic Agatha Christie mystery, this distinctively French production finds family and friends gathering at the seaside manor of rich old aunt Camilla (Danielle Darrieux). Laura Smet is the resident drama queen as Caroline, the tempestuous and rude second wife of the dowager's shallow, spoiled, yet seemingly naïve nephew, Guillaume (Melvil Poupaud); she fumes as he spends the weekend charming his melancholy ex-wife, Aude (Chiara Mastroianni). Meanwhile, complications are added by an old family friend, Thomas (Clément Thomas), who's in love with Aude, and a smooth gigolo named Fred (Xavier Thiam), who has a suspiciously intimate rapport with Caroline. When Camilla is found dead, clues are plentiful and misleading, but vacationing police Superintendent Bataille (François Morel) shows up to give his rookie cop nephew the benefit of his insight. Towards Zero is one of the few Christie novels featuring Superintendent Battle (renamed here), which allows director Pascal Thomas and actor Morel plenty of leeway to carve their own character and tone out of the material. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)