French Film Review: The Man in the Basement

Simon Sandberg, a Jewish Parisian architect (Renier) sells his flat’s unused cellar to a seemingly normal and well-mannered former history teacher, Jacques Fonzic (François Cluzet). But when Fonzic takes up residence, the stranger’s secret life emerges. Slowly and methodically, his far-right, radicalised beliefs about Judaism and conspiracy theories ensnare Simon’s very existence, driving him to more and more desperate strategies to evict the man. What ensues is a riveting cat-and-mouse game between Fonzic and Sandberg as the increasingly menacing buyer insinuates himself with their naive teenage daughter, turning the family’s idyllic world upside down.

Director: Philippe Le Guay

Starring: François Cluzet, Jérémie Renier