A new 5/5 crime drama is available to watch now

'An important, thought-provoking watch that we'd urge people to seek out.'

Billing itself as “a work of fiction based on true events”, the French movie centres on the country’s yellow vests protests.

The story sees the mother of a young demonstrator file a complaint against the police, stating that her son suffered life-altering injuries after being shot in the head with a rubber bullet by officers. She claims the shooting was unprovoked, as her son had been protesting peacefully.

Yet, Stéphanie is still stymied on her quest for justice by bureaucracy, the officers involved in the incident closing rank, the public’s distrust of police, and the cops outside of Internal Affairs’ disdain for her work.

Watch the trailer for Case 137 right here:

Case 137 was nominated for eight César Awards, which are the French equivalent of the Oscars. It’s easy to see why.

Made with the same documentary-like realism and procedural focus that director Dominik Moll brought to his previous crime drama, 2022's profoundly haunting The Night of the 12th, Case 137 hooks viewers in right away with its compelling, strikingly believable central mystery.

The movie evolves, though, as it plays out into a thought-provoking exploration of the justice system's grey areas and flaws, particularly when it comes to police accountability. With each development in the case, Stéphanie discovers new ways the system is rigged to favour one side in this particular scenario over the other, making her job essentially redundant.

While shot in an icily cool observational and forensic manner, the film accrues a great emotional power. This is as Stéphanie (played by a superbly grounded Drucker) becomes this tragic Sisyphean figure, determined to make a positive difference through work she regards as honourable, even as the world seems to conspire against her.

As one character sums up to the investigator: "You did your job well, but what use is your job?" That's before a poignant denouement reminds viewers who the true victims are in all of this.

This is an important, thought-provoking watch that we'd urge people to seek out.

Case 137 is in cinemas now.