This is the end, my friend.
A cold, meticulous, and beautiful hit man (Alain Delon) has his austere and strictly compartmentalized life shaken up when a sultry jazz piano player witnesses his bloody handiwork, yet lies to cover for him.
None of that matters, though, because here’s the thing about LE SAMOURAÏ. It’s not a movie, it’s a vibe. What happens, or doesn’t happen, is completely beside the point.
Like its protagonist, this flick is aloof, gorgeous and mesmerizing. It’s cool as fuck, both in its desaturated color palate and in its slick neo-noir aesthetics. It’s a love letter to Film Noir while existing entirely outside the familiar shadowy confines of the genre. It’s less about crime and more about creeping existential dread.
I really wish I could have seen this brand new 4K restoration in the theater, but LE SAMOURAÏ is available to stream on a variety of platforms so go get this movie into your eyeballs. You won’t be sorry.
That does it for Noir City Hollywood 2024! If you love these flicks as much as I do, toss a couple of simoleons to the Film Noir Foundation and help them continue to preserve America’s Film Noir heritage.
Like Eddie says, see you in the shadows.