Bandits d'amour

A young woman who has gone over to the wrong side of the law with her new boyfriend begins having second thoughts about both crime and her new romance in this drama. Helene is an attractive 18-year-old who has fallen for Paul, a 25-year-old drifter, and one evening as they're having drinks in a cafe in the North of France, Paul decides to rob the bank across the street. Though wary, Helene agrees to help, and soon the couple is 40,000 francs richer -- and on the run from the law. The two hop a train to Marseilles, but it isn't long before Helene begins to think the robbery was a bad idea -- and isn't certain if her relationship with Paul is such a good thing either. Paul, however, isn't troubled by any second thoughts, and is very certain about his feelings for Helene -- so much so that he forces a priest to marry them at gunpoint. This is only the most recent manifestation of Paul's volatile personality, and rather than binding Helene closer to him, it only drives her farther away.

Directed by Pierre Le Bret, Bandits d'amour leans on a strong ensemble — Florence Loiret Caille, Vincent Ozanon, Marc Chapiteau — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2001.