Sarkozy might have a host of faults, but he appears passionately devoted to his wife Cécilia. More than anything, it is his neediness that appears to drive his wife into the arms of another man. She picks a rather inopportune time to leave. Having groomed and prodded Sarkozy into a national political force, he stands at the threshold of presidency. Her absence is conspicuous and duly noted.
As the Sarkozy campaign charges forward, attempts are made to negotiate her temporary return. Divisions also open up between the pre and post- Cécilia wings of the campaign. Yet, Sarkozy appears to be a man of destiny, much to the disbelief of Jacques Chirac, his anti-mentor and presumptive predecessor.
Frankly, Conquest is surprisingly gentle in its treatment of Sarkozy. Granted, he is wildly ambitious, but that ought to be a given for any politician. He certainly never comes across exceptionally corrupt or immoral. Indeed, rather than paint him as a fire-breathing monster, Durringer pursues a strategy of winnowing him down in stature.
Though not bad physical likeness, Denis Podalydés shticky portrayal of Sarkozy does not jibe with the admittedly carefully controlled images we see of the French president on the news. While slight of build, Sarkozy can be a commanding presence, as when he demands Greece shut up and sign on the dotted line.
Conquest works best capturing the not-so behind-the-scenes maneuvering of Sarkozy’s rocky tenure in the Chirac government. However, it assumes a level of familiarity with Sarkozy’s policies, particularly his forceful response to the 2005 riots, which some American audiences might lack.
Blessed with screenwriter Patrick Rotman’s slyest dialogue, Chirac, the old corruptocrat, and his preferred successor, Dominique de Villepin, are like Conquest’s Statler and Waldorf, providing acerbic commentary on Sarkozy’s trials and triumphs. A well regarded French actor with a long list of credits, Bernard Le Coq also happens to be an absolutely spooky dead ringer for Chirac, beyond convincing when he kvetches with Samuel Larthe’s de Villepin.
