Reflection in a Dead Diamond

In 'Reflection in a Dead Diamond,' director Hélène Cattet crafts a sun-drenched fever dream of a thriller that feels like a lost film noir discovered in a Riviera hotel safe. The premise—a retired spy (Fabio Testi) investigating his neighbor's disappearance—serves as a mere entry point into a labyrinthine exploration of memory, cinema, and fractured identity. At 87 minutes, the film moves with the brisk confidence of a classic thriller while subverting expectations at every turn, blending action sequences with surreal, memory-laden interludes that challenge our perception of reality. Cattet's direction is both precise and hallucinatory, using the luxurious Côte d'Azur setting not as mere backdrop but as a character itself—all gleaming surfaces hiding dark secrets. The cast delivers uniformly compelling performances, with Testi embodying world-weary gravitas while the supporting ensemble (particularly Yannick Renier and Maria de Medeiros) adds layers of ambiguity to what might otherwise be straightforward archetypes. Technically, the film is a marvel of sensory filmmaking—the sound design layers whispers with gunshots, the cinematography shifts between crisp daylight and shadowy interiors, and the editing creates a hypnotic rhythm that mirrors the protagonist's unraveling mind. While the narrative occasionally threatens to buckle under its own stylistic ambitions, the overall experience remains captivating, offering genuine thrills alongside philosophical depth.