‘La Syndicaliste’ Review – A Vast Story Saved By A Gripping Performance

Corporate politics and intrigue machinations are out in full force in La Syndicaliste (The Sitting Duck). This film is the true story of Maureen Kearney, who uncovers a secret deal that would hand the French nuclear sector over to the Chinese. After blowing the whistle, Kearney found herself in a fight against government power players and corporate powerbrokers. The ordeal resulted in a brutal attack on her at her home by unknown assailants. The story did not stop there, and what followed is a real-life mystery page-turner brimming with political intrigue. However, despite a gripping performance and a compelling narrative, La Syndicaliste is burdened by too much plot and just misses the mark.

Maureen Kearney (Isabelle Huppert), a union representative, became a whistle-blower against some of the largest nuclear multinationals in France. In a story akin to David and Goliath, she is the underdog standing up for the little guy and going toe-to-toe with the big dogs. However, her story is less cut and dry than the epic tale. In real-life, Kearney faced a smear campaign in addition to her graphic rape and mutilation. The attack – however, proved to be the first of many assaults on Kearney. In the wake of her attack, Kearney faced accusations of fabricating the attack and carried a criminal record for years until police dropped the charges.

While David and Goliath is the more romantic angle of any excellent underdog thriller, the better comparison here is The Scarlet Letter. Kearney bore a crude knife wound into her stomach as a result of the attack. In a precursor to the Me Too movement, Kearney faced smears and disbelief over her attack and her claims against the nuclear companies. The film focuses much of its time on the aftermath of the attack and the assault on her character.

This story has many moving pieces, and it becomes too massive an undertaking, even with a two-hour runtime. Kearney’s story is one without a conclusion – as the attackers have never been caught. One of the possible conspirators, the CEO (Yvan Attal in the film), died in the interim investigation. Perhaps that is the true irony of this story; there are no answers nor satisfying movie moments audiences come to expect with these types of thrillers. This is a frank look at the real-life victims of those who speak truth to power and suffer the consequences. 

Director Jean-Paul Salome crafts a political thriller filled with enough intrigue and grip to keep audiences engaged. However, Huppert’s lead performance seals the deal and elevates an otherwise convoluted narrative.

Huppert excels in bringing a vulnerability to Kearney. Audiences immediately identify and support her as someone that the world is against. Her performance, which often is mere reactions or silent gazes, paints a canvas of a complicated but determined woman. La Syndicaliste succeeds when there is less focus on corporate machinations and keeps the spotlight on Kearney. With her husband Gilles Hugo (Gregory Gadebois), there is a beautiful chemistry of a couple who have been through the wringer before the scandal and are seemingly brought closer in the wake of the attack.

La Syndicaliste is a massive story; all the details are still being ironed out, even over time. The scale of the political complexities and the intricacies of the scandal are a lot for the audience to keep up with here. The most vital points in the film are when Kearney is under the spotlight, particularly as the French police attempt to question her character with accusations she fabricated the attack. The commentary on misogyny is a powerful note that the director highlights in multiple stand-out scenes. A focus, perhaps more on this intimate aspect of the story, would have strengthened the film’s central premise. 

As a thriller, this film often struggles to balance the intrigue with the personal story. Even with a two-hour run time, the movie is top-heavy, which is a disappointment. There is the conflation of the story that causes the film to miss its mark.

However, the strong lead performance by Huppert is enough to carry La Syndicaliste. Once the credits roll audiences will want to uncover more about this incredible and vastly complicated story about a woman who dared to speak out. 

La Syndicaliste will debut in select theaters beginning December 1, 2023, courtesy of Kino Lorber. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dYvSo4kHBvk]