''22 Bullets'' () is a 2010 French

gangster A gangster (informally gangsta) is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''Organized crime, mob'' and the suffix ''wikt:-ster, -st ...

action film The action film is a film genre that predominantly features chase sequences, fights, shootouts, explosions, and stunt work. The specifics of what constitutes an action film has been in scholarly debate since the 1980s. While some scholars such as D ...

directed by Richard Berry. It tells a part of the life story of

Jacky Imbert Jacques Imbert (30 December 1929 – 11 November 2019) was a French gang leader who first came to prominence in 1960s Marseille's underworld, where he was considered "The Last Godfather". His nickname "''Jacky le Mat''" means "Jacky the ma ...

, and is based on the novel ''L'Immortel'' (2007) by

Franz-Olivier Giesbert Franz-Olivier Giesbert (born January 18, 1949) is an American-born French journalist, author, and television presenter. Early life Franz-Olivier Giesbert's American father was a painter and G.I. during D-Day, and his mother, a philosophy teacher ...

. Filming began on 23 February 2009 in

Marseille Marseille (; ; see #Name, below) is a city in southern France, the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Departments of France, department of Bouches-du-Rhône and of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur Regions of France, region. Situated in the ...

, in

Avignon Avignon (, , ; or , ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture of the Vaucluse department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region of southeastern France. Located on the left bank of the river Rhône, the Communes of France, commune had a ...

in early April 2009, and continued for 8 weeks in Paris.http://www.avignews.com/fusillade-en-plein-avignon-@/video.jspz?video=103624 Une scène tournée à Avignon

Plot

Three years prior to the start of the film, mafia boss Charly Matteï retired. He left the business to his old friend Tony Zacchia. He lives a peaceful life, devoted to his wife and two children. His past catches up with him when he is ambushed by an eight-man hit squad in a parking lot who kill his dog and leave him for dead with 22 bullets in his body. Against all odds, he survives to take revenge on his killers. On the hunt for the shooters, he is confronted with his criminal past and threats to his family. He tries to identify those responsible without bloodshed. This "weakness" is exploited, and his friend Karim is murdered by the people who shot him. Matteï swears revenge and goes on a hunt for the masterminds of the attack. He visits the hit squad during a birthday celebration and announces that he will kill each of them randomly at a time of his choosing. Marie Goldman is the policewoman investigating the shooting in the parking lot. Her husband, who was also a policeman, was killed in the service but his killer was never caught. Despite the indifference of her superiors, she would like to clear up the murder of her husband. Towards the end of the movie, in order to save his kidnapped son, a desperate Matteï makes a deal with Goldman, who herself is divided between doing her duty and punishing the murderers of her husband, who she suspects were Zacchia's men. The police get a USB drive containing data incriminating Zacchia in a money fraud and laundering operation. Matteï rescues his son and then finally confronts Tony Zacchia at his home, but Zachia turns the tables and is about to kill Matteï when the police interrupt and arrest both. In the end, Matteï is released as the cops do not have enough evidence to charge him. Goldman had earlier revealed to Matteï that one of the 8 shooters had missed him on purpose in the shootout at the start of the movie. Matteï figures out that this eighth shooter was his friend and lawyer who had been forced by Zacchia into shooting Matteï. He is forgiven by Matteï and the movie ends with Matteï walking with his family on a beach. His voiceover tells the audience that he had left his past life behind him and all he wanted to do was spend whatever possible time he had left with his family. He also says that he will no more have to look over his shoulder as he is at peace with his past.

Cast

Jean Reno Juan Moreno y Herrera-Jiménez (born 30 July 1948), commonly known as Jean Reno (), is a French-Spanish actor. He established himself as a Leading actor, leading man of French cinema through his collaborations with director Luc Besson, and has w ...

- Charly Matteï *

Kad Merad Kad Merad (born Kaddour Merad, ; 27 March 1964) is a French-Algerian writer and actor. Life and career Kad Merad was born in Sidi Bel Abbès, Algeria, on 27 March 1964 to an Algerian father and a French mother. During his teens, he played d ...

- Tony Zacchia *

Jean-Pierre Darroussin Jean-Pierre Darroussin (born 4 December 1953) is a French actor and filmmaker. He was born in Courbevoie, France. Theater Filmography Actor *1992: '' Riens du tout'' (directed by Cédric Klapisch starring Fabrice Luchini, Daniel Berlioux ...

- Martin Beaudinard *

Marina Foïs Marina Sylvie Foïs (born 21 January 1970) is a French actress. Life and career Born in Boulogne-Billancourt in the department of Hauts-de-Seine in a family from Russian people, Russian, Egyptian Jews, Jewish Egyptian, German people, German a ...

- Marie Goldman *

Joeystarr Didier Morville (; born 27 October 1967), better known by his stage name JoeyStarr, is a French rapper, record producer and actor, from Saint-Denis, Seine-Saint-Denis, Saint-Denis, Île-de-France. He co-founded the French rap band Suprême NTM ...

- Le pistachier * Richard Berry - Aurelio Rampoli *

Venantino Venantini Venantino Venantini (17 April 1930 – 9 October 2018) was an Italian film actor.Claude Gensac Claude Gensac (1 March 1927 – 27 December 2016) was a French actress. She appeared in more than 70 films and television productions since 1952. Gensac is the oldest nominee to date in the category César Award for Best Supporting Actress, nomi ...

- Mme Fontarosa * - Eva Matteï * - Anatole Matteï *

Catherine Samie Catherine Samie (born 3 February 1933) is a French actress and member (sociétaire, doyen) of the Comédie-Française from 1962. On 14 July 2011 she became Grand Officier of the Legion of Honor. She is a Catholic.Marnie Winston-Macauley, ''Yiddi ...

- Stella Matteï *

Moussa Maaskri Moussa Maaskri () (born 15 November 1962) is an Algeria Algeria, officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It is bordered to Algeria–Tunisia border, the northeast by Tunis ...

- Karim *

Guillaume Gouix Guillaume Gouix (; born 30 November 1983) is a French actor, director and screenwriter. He starred in the limited television series '' Gone for Good'' (2021). Career Guillaume Gouix learned acting at the Conservatory of Marseille, then at the ...

- The Morvelous jr.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:22 Bullets 2010 films 2010 action drama films 2010 crime drama films 2010 crime action films Biographical films about French gangsters Films about child abduction in France Films about murderers French films about revenge Films based on crime novels Films based on French novels Films produced by Luc Besson French crime action films 2010s French-language films Mafia films Films directed by Richard Berry Films scored by Klaus Badelt 2010s French films French action thriller films French crime thriller films French gangster films French vigilante films