13 Tzameti DVD > Reviews > 13 is the lucky number, or is it?

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Story	Outstanding
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Special Effects	Standard
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	gripping, intriguing, black & white film, brilliant acting
Disadvantages:	none really !

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

** Cast **

George Babluani - Sébastien

(yeah I put only one guy because this film is all about him really..!)

** Synopsis **

Sébastien is a Georgian immigrant (Tzameti is 13 in Georgian) whose poor family is living in France. Life is different for this family. He works as a roof repairer, and he is doing a job for Jean-Francois Godon (Philippe Passon), who is a morphine addict. Sébastien overhears conversations between Godon and others, which suggests that Godon will be receiving a large amount of money soon, through some sort of activity. A cop spies on Godon nearby.

Godon suddenly dies from a morphine overdose, after he receives a letter containing a receipt for a paid hotel room and a train ticket. This letter is blown out of the window and is intercepted by Sébastien. Lured by the prospect of money and intrigued by the instructions the letter contains, Sébastien decides to follow the instructions, pretending to be the late Godon. Little did he know that he will be plunged into the clandestine world of gamblers, who take their chances on human lives.

** Acting **

This film rests solely on the lead character, Sébastien (George Babluani; George is the younger brother of the director and writer of this film, Géla Babluani). Considering this is George's acting debut, he did amazingly in it. I would have thought that he is an experienced actor. He conveyed all the emotions in the film: fear, shock and surprise at this undercovered gambling world; the need for money (which I think he showed well; just through several dialogue, I could feel that he wanted his family to live better and that he cared for them a lot); the need for survival; submission. All these through only one actor as he progressed through his journey.

** Plot **

Brilliantly written. The Georgian Géla Babluani did a good job here. The film starts on a mystery (Godon walking out to sea and fainting); the viewer is immediately drawn into the film. One wonders why he fainted, and once we know why, we are immediately thrown into another mystery. The tension is sustained throughout the film. What the gamblers are betting on and HOW they are carrying the bet out is dawned on us slowly but surely - I thought that was nicely done. There was no one who said to the camera "Now you are going to ********" (I am not going to spoil it for you).

** Director **

I thought Géla Babluani directed this film brilliantly. Using black and white film, I guess it increases the tension and also remove some gorey blood redness that will otherwise overcome the film. He didn't want to shock the viewer with just blood and more blood (we can watch trashy horrors for those), but the fact that people are prepared to bet on human lives, and the different emotions that the partcipants and gamblers go through. The participants, although doing it for the money, while on the platform, seem to only care for their lives. While the gamblers couldn't care less, they only wanted to win.

** Personal opinion **

A really nicely done film. Great plot, great acting, great director. A shrewd observation of how people's emotions varied and how humans can drop so low for money and how humans are prepared to do unbelievable things for money and family.

** Awards won **

Sundance Film Festival (Grand Jury Prize)
Venice Film Festival (Luigi De Laurentiis Award & Netpac Award) 

Pictures for the review

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