Outline
Accompanied with the stunning scenery of the French Riviera, Nice Girls is an action-comedy film focused on women with the intent to combine international espionage with buddy-cop antics. The narrative starts with Léo, a no-nonsense, fast-talking police officer who is considered the best cop in Nice. She works in the midst of street-level crime scenes, and takes immense pride in her methods, which are instinctual, emotionally-driven, and often very direct.
Her world is turned upside down when she hears from the police department that her colleague Ludo has been murdered during a police operation in Hamburg, Germany. Ludo was not just her coworker, he was her friend and someone she respected highly. The way he died coupled with the official narrative makes her unrelenting need to uncover the shocking reality even more pressing.
With the news of Ludo’s murder, her superior officers have their own plan. Meet Mélanie, a highly disciplined and rule-abiding German police officer who has been assigned to the case. She is the opposite of Léo. Organized, clinical, emotionally distant, and overly obsessed with protocols. The two women have to collaborate to uncover the mystery, but differing approaches create a conflict that hinders cooperation.
As the investigation unfolds, the pair discovers more than the details of a single murder. The pursuit crosses borders and reveals a criminal conspiracy that endangers not only the duo, but the entire city of Nice. Both women undergo the process of facing their pasts, re-evaluating their principles, and forming a grudging respect for each other.
The convenience of a shared goal transforms into a bond as Léo and Mélanie’s lives depend on each other to expose the truth. The heart of the film captures the evolution of the two women’s relationship from enemies to allies while battling in gun fights, car chases, and comical confusion.
Cast & Crew
Director:
Noémie Saglio
Writers:
Noémie Saglio
Antoine Dallancour
Philippe Planells
Main Cast
Alice Taglioni as Léo: French officer who, with her scruffy demeanor and soldier’s attitude, serves as the emotional and comedic core of the film. The role demands Taglioni’s characteristic aplomb and Léo’s portrayal requires a hint of softness beneath her otherwise cavalier nature.
Stéfi Celma as Mélanie: The German cop who shows up in Léo’s world like a bone-chilling wind. Celma’s performance is marked by a quiet intensity and stoicism, which contrasts Taglioni’s vibrant persona rather vividly.
Baptiste Lecaplain as Bat’: An eccentric informant who lightens the mood but also complicates the tasks at hand because of his erratic actions.
Noémie Lvovsky as Hernandez: The unconvinced and somewhat impetuous police chief who struggles with the balance between protocol and juvenile bureaucracy.
Lucien Jean-Baptiste, Antoine Duléry, Delphine Baril et Katrina Durden for the supporting roles embodying the film’s rich and kaleidoscopic narrative chaos.
Music:
Erwann Chandon created an ever-changing score, shifting effortlessly from the exuberant electronic elements to orchestral dramatic undertones in sync with the film’s sudden transitions from comedy to action and vice versa.Production Companies:
Les Films du Kiosque
Petite Panthère Productions
Boogie Movie
Themes and Tone
At its core, Nice Girls is a tribute to the indomitable spirit of women, even though it fits neatly into the familiar buddy-cop genre. The film endeavors to address grief, redemption, and the struggles of different cultures coming together. Its brand of humor stems from cultural and personal clashes, much like Hollywood’s The Heat or Rush Hour, but with a distinctly European Nice Girls twist.
The Riviera setting offers a unique contrast between the sunny, picturesque location and the dark criminal underworld lurking underneath. The film embraces clichés without fear; it plays with them in a knowing manner, often laughing at the very conventions it employs.
At the same time, it tries to provide emotional weight by weaving in Léo’s grieving process and Mélanie’s slow opening up. Without deeply exploring these arcs, the film provides just enough to ensure the characters possess depth beyond their profesional identities.
Critical Reception and IMDb Rating
As it stands, Nice Girls seems to sit well with no one at all, earning a rating of 4.2 out of 10 on IMDb. Moreover, critics and moviegoers seem to be split on this one. Some have appreciated the movie for its bold effort to place two women at the center of a narrative for a genre that is mostly male-dominated. The chemistry between Alice Taglioni and Stéfi Celma has indeed received praise, with their bickering and subsequent friendship being described as the heart of the film.
On the other hand, critics have lambasted the film for being too predictable, offering a bland narrative structure alongside uninspired antagonists. Some viewers’ complaints regarding pacing were especially less forgiving—some found the shifts in tone from slapstick comedy to brutal action sequences disorienting. At times, the combination of action, drama, and humor tends to feel unsystematic.
That being said, its aggression towards depicting strong European females and catchy tunes to go along with striking visuals does draw in a small but dedicated amount of followers, especially fans of European action comedies.
Conclusion
Although Nice Girls might not change the spunky cop genre the way critics hope, it does provide an enjoyable variation on the stereotypes. The film sets itself apart with its two captivating female protagonists, the picturesque Riviera as a backdrop, and a storyline that provides a balanced mix of suspense and humor. While it certainly has its shortcomings, the film advances the representation of women in the genre and provides a global audience with a mildly coherent action-comedy that is earnest, if a bit chaotic.
Should you wish to watch a light-hearted film that still evokes some sentiment, you might consider watching Nice Girls. The film, albeit imperfect, stands as a worthwhile option.
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