A French language film that looks at the everyday life of working in the Child Protection Unit in Paris, partially following a photographer (Maiwenn, directing, editing and co-starring) who is assigned to cover the unit. The title comes from the childish spelling of the word Police based on the way children often say it. The film is based on real-life events that happened within the CPU in Paris but everyone is played by actors.
*spoilers ahead*
It is harrowing film to watch as we see child abuse, molestation, paedophilia and sex trafficking discussed by the CPU as they interview suspects and victims. The alarmingly problem is that it's very normal people who are committing the crimes, from gym teachers to respectable parents to junkies, which inevitable takes its toll on the cops in the division who regularly lose their temper with each other and the suspects. We also get to see the unit escape the horrors with nights out and even some laughs within their day jobs.
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| The CPU takes Romanian children suspected of being forced to pickpocket by their parents |
The whole film must be difficult to watch if you are a parent especially the junkie mother who drops her baby whilst insisting she have canned food for free because she has no money. This being a normal day for the CPU and the final scene which shows what damage working in this unit can do for you mentally is truly shocking. Maiwenn does a great job of making the film feel real rather than a bunch of actors on a film set, some of the ideas especially around the private lives of the cops is a bit jumbled and misguided but overall you are stunned by what you see.
3.5/4 well acted and deeply troubling account of life in child protection unit.
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