Fantastic Fest 2023 capsule review: ‘The Other Laurens’ brims with mystery and mayhem

THE OTHER LAURENS

Beginning in Shakespearean fashion, the chaos and bait-and-switch screenplay of Claude Schmitz‘s THE OTHER LAURENS earns your attention. Private investigator, Gabriel gets contacted by his niece to look into the recent death of her father and Gabriel’s estranged twin brother, François.

THE OTHER LAURENS is a whirlwind of mafialike underworld, bikers as protective soldiers, drug trafficking, double dealings, and bombastic characters. The script’s dramatic complexity gets a momentary reprieve from the two local detectives and their witty banter.

Loise Leroy wows in her feature debut as Jade. The emotional turmoil she endures puts Leroy through the wringer, and she handles it like a pro. She is a star. Olivier Rabourdin plays dual roles as Gabriel and François. His ability to shape-shift will captivate you. THE OTHER LAURENS is an epic film, brimming with twists and turns, and is a real stand-out from Fantastic Fest 2023.


Director: Claude Schmitz
Writer: Claude Schmitz and Kostia Testut
Starring: Olivier Rabourdin, Louise Leroy, Kate Moran 
Producers: Jérémy Forni, Benoit Roland
Co-Producers: Valérie Berelmont, David Claikens, Tanguy Dekeyser, Phillipe Logie, Alex Verbaere  

Year: 2023
Runtime: 117 minutes
Language: French, English, Spanish
Country: Belgium, France
Premiere: North American