''In the Electric Mist'' (French title: ''Dans la brume électrique'') is a 2009 Franco-American
mystery
Mystery, The Mystery, Mysteries or The Mysteries may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Fictional characters
*Mystery, a cat character in ''Emily the Strange''
Films
* ''Mystery'' (2012 film), a 2012 Chinese drama film
* ''Mystery'' ( ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super ...
directed by
Bertrand Tavernier
Bertrand Tavernier (25 April 1941 – 25 March 2021) was a French director, screenwriter, actor and producer.
Life and career
Tavernier was born in Lyon, France, the son of Geneviève (née Dumond) and René Tavernier, a publicist and writer, s ...
, and written by Jerzy Kromolowski and Mary Olson-Kromolowski based on the novel ''In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead'' by
James Lee Burke
James Lee Burke (born December 5, 1936) is an American author, best known for his Dave Robicheaux series. He has won Edgar Awards for ''Black Cherry Blues'' (1990) and ''Cimarron Rose'' (1998), and has also been presented with the Grand Master ...
; it stars
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
in the lead role of Louisiana police detective
Dave Robicheaux
Dave Robicheaux (pronounced "ROW-bih-show") is a fictional character in a series of mystery novels by American crime writer James Lee Burke. He first appeared in '' The Neon Rain'' (1987).
Biography
A former homicide detective in the New Orleans ...
.
The film has never been released cinematically in the United States, only in Europe and Asia. It was shown twice on just one evening in author Burke's hometown of
New Iberia, Louisiana
New Iberia (french: La Nouvelle-Ibérie; es, Nueva Iberia) is the largest city in and parish seat of Iberia Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The city of New Iberia is located approximately southeast of Lafayette, and forms part of the La ...
. A trimmed-down version (102:00 minutes NTSC), cut by the studio, was released
direct-to-DVD
Direct-to-video or straight-to-video refers to the release of a film, TV series, short or special to the public immediately on home video formats rather than an initial theatrical release or television premiere. This distribution strategy was p ...
in the United States.
A longer director's cut version (112:23 minutes) was released in the rest of the world and premiered at the 2009
Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlin International Film Festival (german: Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin), usually called the Berlinale (), is a major international film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the fest ...
. In 2009, the director's cut version won the Grand Prix at the first "Festival International du Film Policier de
Beaune
Beaune () is the wine capital of Burgundy in the Côte d'Or department in eastern France. It is located between Lyon and Dijon. Beaune is one of the key wine centers in France, and the center of Burgundy wine production and business. The annua ...
", which is the continuation of the "Festival du Film Policier de
Cognac
Cognac ( , also , ) is a variety of brandy named after the commune of Cognac, France. It is produced in the surrounding wine-growing region in the departments of Charente and Charente-Maritime.
Cognac production falls under French appella ...
."
It opened on 15 April 2009 in France to positive reviews,
while reviews for the American version were mostly positive (64% on Rotten Tomatoes).
In December 2009, Tavernier released a book titled ''Pas à Pas dans la Brume Électrique'' (''Step by Step into the Electric Mist''), which is a day-by-day account of the shooting of this movie.
''In the Electric Mist'' is a sequel to 1996's ''
Heaven's Prisoners,'' also adapted from a Burke novel. The character of Dave Robicheaux at that time was an ex-homicide detective in the swamplands of Louisiana, and was portrayed by
Alec Baldwin.
The film marked the acting debut of musician
Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaugh ...
as Sam "Hogman" Patin.
Plot
Iberia Parish
Iberia Parish (french: Paroisse de l'Ibérie, es, Parroquia de Iberia) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana. At the 2020 census, it had a population of 69,929; the parish seat is New Iberia.
The parish was formed in 1868 during ...
's Sheriff Detective Dave Robicheaux (Tommy Lee Jones) is investigating the murder of a young woman, and has a chance encounter with Hollywood stars Elrod Sykes (
Peter Sarsgaard
John Peter Sarsgaard (; born March 7, 1971) is an American actor. His first feature role was in '' Dead Man Walking'' in 1995. He then appeared in the 1998 independent films ''Another Day in Paradise'' and ''Desert Blue''. That same year, Sarsga ...
) and his girlfriend Kelly Drummond (
Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish actress. She is known for her roles in '' Trainspotting'' (1996), '' Gosford Park'' (2001), '' Intermission'' (2003), '' Nanny McPhee'' (2005), '' No Country for Old Men'' (2007), ''Boardwa ...
). They are in the small town to make a
Civil War
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
film.
Due to Elrod's erratic driving, Dave determines that the actor is driving drunk, and decides to arrest him. Objecting to being sent to jail, Elrod tells Dave of a decayed corpse that Kelly and he had found in the swamp.
Dave goes to investigate, while remembering a murder he had witnessed as a teenager, where a chained prisoner was shot in the swamp and disappeared into the bog. The discovery is soon tied to several murders in that area that had occurred recently, mostly to young runaways and prostitutes. The clues seem to point to Julie "Baby Feet" Balboni (
John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy series ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he rec ...
), whose ties with the mafia had caused Dave and him to drift apart and become enemies.
Balboni denies knowing the prostitute whose murder is being investigated. With little to go on, Dave visits the film site and meets the producer, Michael Goldman (
John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, for ''Passion Fish'' (1992) and '' ...
), who states that while Baby Feet is helping to fund the film, he is not a co-producer as he had said.
Meanwhile, Dave's home life is disrupted by Elrod and Kelly, who begin turning up regularly, almost every time with Elrod being drunk. This prompts Dave to take pity on him, as he, too, is a struggling alcoholic. His daughter, Alafair (Alana Locke) looks up to movie star Elrod, but wife Bootsie (
Mary Steenburgen) has concerns.
The discovery of a second body prompts the FBI to become involved in the case. Dave is partnered with agent Rosie Gomez (
Justina Machado
Justina Milagros Machado (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress, known for her roles as Penelope Alvarez on the Netflix and Pop TV sitcom '' One Day at a Time'', Darci Factor in The CW dramedy ''Jane the Virgin'', Vanessa Diaz on the H ...
). Dave attends a birthday party for Goldman, and though drinking
Dr Pepper
Dr Pepper is a carbonated soft drink. It was created in the 1880s by pharmacist Charles Alderton in Waco, Texas, and first served around 1885. Dr Pepper was first nationally marketed in the United States in 1904. It is now also sold in Euro ...
, becomes terribly uncoordinated during his drive home, and crashes his pickup truck, sending him off in a daze to the forest. There, he encounters a camp of Confederate soldiers, and their commanding officer General
John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the de ...
(
Levon Helm), who apparently wishes to help Dave with his journey to solve these murders. When he awakens from his daze in a hospital, Dave learns from Gomez that his drink had been laced with
LSD
Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), also known colloquially as acid, is a potent psychedelic drug. Effects typically include intensified thoughts, emotions, and sensory perception. At sufficiently high dosages LSD manifests primarily mental, vi ...
.
Elrod drunkenly takes a boat out on the bayou with Kelly, calling Dave when the boat engines get caught in gill nets. Dave gives Kelly his coat, as it is pouring rain, and a mysterious gunman shoots her in the chest, mistaking her for him.
General Hood offers advice again, and Dave shakes off the feelings of guilt over Kelly's death. Elrod moves in for a while so Dave can be his
Alcoholics Anonymous sponsor.
Dave's cop friend, Lou Girard, is found dead, apparently by shooting himself with a shotgun.
On the last occasion that Dave sees General Hood, the general and a few of his Confederate comrades are breaking camp and preparing to leave. They are having a group photograph taken, and the general invites Dave to join them in the group.
A story from an alleged pimp corroborates a suspect, Murphy Doucet (
Bernard Hocke
Bernard Hocke is a television and film actor. He first appeared in the 1989 horror film ''Beware! Children at Play'' as Professor Randall. Since then he has appeared in numerous films and television series, including ''Seinfeld'', ''Mad About You ...
), who with his partner Twinkie Lemoyne (
Ned Beatty) is responsible for the death of DeWitt Prejean, the skeleton found in the swamp. Dave arrests Doucet using a planted knife as evidence, but Doucet gets out on bail and kidnaps Dave's young daughter Alafair.
Gomez and Dave go to Baby Feet's residence and force him into telling them about a campsite Doucet owns. The two head there. Gomez is startled by Doucet and instinctively shoots him. Dave plants a throw-away pistol on the unarmed villain to ensure that she is cleared of any charges of murdering him. They free Alafair and return home.
Months later, Dave, who had stopped seeing visions of General Hood after the case was solved, determines that he was a figment of his imagination, a lingering spirit to help him through the most difficult case of his life. He moves on with his life, while Baby Feet, according to Dave, was arrested for an issue that no one would have suspected, not as a mafia criminal, but as a tax dodger. Elrod, too, moves on with his life, leaving his alcohol addiction behind; he gives Alafair a small role in the Civil War film, and claims that she had been his salvation.
As the story ends, Alafair is looking through a book on the Civil War when she comes across a photograph of General Hood and his soldiers. In a close-up of the photo, standing in the back among the Confederate soldiers, is Dave Robicheaux. It is the photo taken during what Dave had supposed was a vision.
Cast
*
Tommy Lee Jones
Tommy Lee Jones (born September 15, 1946) is an American actor and film director. He has received four Academy Award nominations, winning Best Supporting Actor for his performance as U.S. Marshal Samuel Gerard in the 1993 thriller film '' The ...
as Dave Robicheaux
[
*]John Goodman
John Stephen Goodman (born June 20, 1952) is an American actor. He gained national fame for his role as the family patriarch Dan Conner in the American Broadcasting Company, ABC comedy series ''Roseanne'' (1988–1997; 2018), for which he rec ...
as Julie 'Baby Feet' Balboni[
*]Peter Sarsgaard
John Peter Sarsgaard (; born March 7, 1971) is an American actor. His first feature role was in '' Dead Man Walking'' in 1995. He then appeared in the 1998 independent films ''Another Day in Paradise'' and ''Desert Blue''. That same year, Sarsga ...
as Elrod Sykes[
*]Kelly Macdonald
Kelly Macdonald (born 23 February 1976) is a Scottish actress. She is known for her roles in '' Trainspotting'' (1996), '' Gosford Park'' (2001), '' Intermission'' (2003), '' Nanny McPhee'' (2005), '' No Country for Old Men'' (2007), ''Boardwa ...
as Kelly Drummond
* Mary Steenburgen as Bootsie Robicheaux
*Justina Machado
Justina Milagros Machado (born September 6, 1972) is an American actress, known for her roles as Penelope Alvarez on the Netflix and Pop TV sitcom '' One Day at a Time'', Darci Factor in The CW dramedy ''Jane the Virgin'', Vanessa Diaz on the H ...
as Rosie Gomez
* Ned Beatty as Twinky LeMoyne[
*]James Gammon
James Richard Gammon (April 20, 1940 – July 16, 2010) was an American actor, known for playing grizzled " good ol' boy" types in numerous films and television series.
Gammon portrayed Lou Brown, the manager in the movies '' Major League'' and ...
as Ben Hebert
*Pruitt Taylor Vince
Pruitt Taylor Vince (born July 5, 1960) is an American character actor. He became best known for his roles in the films '' Shy People'' (1987) and ''Mississippi Burning'' (1988). He also appeared in ''Jacob's Ladder'' (1990), '' Nobody's Fool'' ...
as Lou Girard
*Walter Breaux as Batist
* Levon Helm as Gen. John Bell Hood
John Bell Hood (June 1 or June 29, 1831 – August 30, 1879) was a Confederate general during the American Civil War. Although brave, Hood's impetuosity led to high losses among his troops as he moved up in rank. Bruce Catton wrote that "the de ...
*Bernard Hocke
Bernard Hocke is a television and film actor. He first appeared in the 1989 horror film ''Beware! Children at Play'' as Professor Randall. Since then he has appeared in numerous films and television series, including ''Seinfeld'', ''Mad About You ...
as Murphy Doucet
*Alana Locke as Alafair Robicheaux
*Buddy Guy
George "Buddy" Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaugh ...
as Sam "Hogman" Patin
*Chukwuma Onwuchekwa as Dewitt Prejean
*John Sayles
John Thomas Sayles (born September 28, 1950) is an American independent film director, screenwriter, editor, actor, and novelist. He has twice been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, for ''Passion Fish'' (1992) and '' ...
as Michael Goldman
DVD release
The film was released on DVD on 3 March 2009 and sold 104,902 units, which brought in $1,905,214 in revenue.
In Denmark, Midget Entertainment released a double-DVD set that includes both versions of the film: the U.S. edit 02'and the International director's cut 12'
The film opened at fourth place in DVD rentals for the week of 2–8 March 2009, with a rental index of 61.21.
References
External links
*
*
''Cineaste'' interview with Bertrand Tavernier
{{DEFAULTSORT:In The Electric Mist
2009 crime drama films
2000s mystery drama films
2009 films
Films directed by Bertrand Tavernier
Films shot in New Orleans
Films set in Louisiana
American Civil War films
Films scored by Marco Beltrami
Southern Gothic films
French mystery drama films
French crime drama films
American mystery drama films
American crime drama films
English-language French films
2000s English-language films
2000s American films
2000s French films
Foreign films set in the United States