Valéry Carnoy's fiercely acted but dramatically unfocused film, Wild Foxes, explores a sudden, mysterious crisis of confidence that undermines everything a young man thinks he knows about himself. It is a brick dislodged from a wall that brings everything crashing down.
Setting and Characters
The story is set at a sports boarding school in France, evidently INSEP, the National Institute of Sport, Expertise and Performance, located in the Bois de Vincennes just outside Paris. Camille (Samuel Kirchner) is a tough, troubled kid from a broken home and a brilliant boxer on the verge of national greatness. His best mate is fellow boxer Matteo (Fayçal Anaflous), who has broken the rules so often he is on the verge of being kicked out.
Camille's Strange Enthusiasm
Camille has a peculiar hobby: he steals cuts of meat from the school's kitchen to attract foxes in the surrounding woodland. Clearly, he identifies with these cunning, fugitive creatures. Fooling around in this forbidden zone leads to a terrible accident from which he is lucky to escape with no more than a nasty scar. However, Camille becomes morbidly obsessed with a purely psychosomatic pain in his arm that prevents him from boxing properly, enraging his coach and teammates. He also develops a liking for fellow pupil Yas (Anna Heckel), a Taekwondo student who secretly plays the trumpet in the woods, a poignant display of unacknowledged talent.
The Central Question
Has the arm injury and its consequent distractions simply revealed to Camille not only his fragility but also led him to realize that there is more to life than just punching people? If so, it could be a blessing in disguise. But his coach justifiably sees it as a catastrophic lapse in discipline and focus. Boxing is Camille's way to succeed in life. These other thoughts are a luxury that a working-class kid cannot afford. So what should Camille learn from this enigmatic crisis?
Strengths and Weaknesses
There are many ideas and images swirling around this film; they do not all gel, and the movie's climactic confrontation and its final resolution do not quite work. However, the acting, physical presence, and energy of Camille and his crew deliver a real punch. The physicality and performances of the young cast are undeniable, making the film striking despite its unsynchronized ideas.
Wild Foxes is in UK and Irish cinemas from 1 May.
