In the Shadow of Iris takes us on a perplexing journey of a kidnapping that was planned by the victim herself, resulting in the perpetrator becoming the real victim. The film is directed by Jalil Lespert and stars Charlotte Le Bon and Romain Duris. The story features a rich banker named Antoine who can’t find his wife, Iris, after lunch, leading him to panic. Unbeknownst to Antoine, Iris has planned her own kidnapping with a mechanic named Max. After Antoine contacts the police, his interactions with Max and Iris’s supposed kidnapper, set off a chain of events that will leave you on the edge of your seat.
Synopsis
The movie begins with Antoine (Romain Duris) having lunch with his wife, Iris (Charlotte Le Bon). After finishing, Iris steps outside while Antoine pays the bill. Upon his exit, he can’t seem to find her anywhere. After searching the surrounding area, Antoine starts to panic and heads back to the office to attend a meeting. Little does he know that his wife, Iris, has gone to a mechanic named Max and asked him to fake a kidnapping.
Max and Iris go through with the fake kidnapping, and he contacts Antoine for a ransom of 500,000 euros. The detectives assigned to the case intercept their plan, leading to a tense standoff. At one point, Antoine almost gives Max the ransom before the detectives intervene, foiling his plan.
Meanwhile, Max goes back to the location of the kidnapping to find the dead body of Iris who he had thought he’d kidnapped. Upon realizing the woman was not really Iris, he discovers that the real Iris was his mistress who had planned the kidnapping with him. Things become more complicated when the detectives begin to suspect Antoine of playing a role in Iris’s disappearance. They discover that Iris wasn’t happy with their marriage and had revealed her husband’s fetish to her psychologist. Antoine denies being unfaithful but admits to using prostitutes.
Max tracks down the woman who faked the kidnapping with him, Claudia, and takes her hostage when Antoine refuses to pay the ransom again. However, Antoine secretly ends up arranging a ransom drop that ultimately leads to the discovery of the real Iris’s body. As the movie culminates in multiple deaths, including those of Antoine and Iris, Claudia and Max share the ransom and go their separate ways.
Plot Holes
While the movie has an engaging plot, there are some inconsistencies that can be a little confusing. However, this doesn’t detract from the overall suspense and intrigue of the story.
Multiple Perspectives
In the Shadow of Iris tells its story from multiple perspectives, making it a more complex and captivating film. The different characters give their versions of the events, which help to complete the story’s puzzle. Hence, the audience is encouraged to pay close attention to each character’s account to better understand what is going on.
Conclusion
In the Shadow of Iris is a French thriller that keeps the audience hooked till the end. It showcases different sides of a kidnapping and how things can become complicated when the lines between good and bad blur. Overall, the film is intensely gripping and will keep viewers in suspense throughout.
