Dissonances

Nat drives on the interstate with his two young daughters in the back seats, when a car drives by and an unknown guy shoots one of his daughters dead for no reason. Nat's life is shattered. He becomes obsessed with finding the killers, assaults two men, kills one, goes to jail, is left by his wife, grows old estranged from his other daughter. We see the action first through Nat's eyes, then via Brautigan, the cop in charge of the investigation, and finally from the perspective of the remaining daughter Margo. The deconstructed narrative echoes the chaos within Nat and emphasizes the fact that the characters are out of tune with one another, which is the meaning of the original title.

Directed by Jérôme Cornuau, Dissonances leans on a strong ensemble — Jacques Gamblin, Didier Flamand, Bérénice Bejo — 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 crime titles of 2004.