You are here:

The Cousin

Name: The Cousin
Director: Alain Corneau
Released: 1997
Duration: 112 min

Representation Score

3.2/10

Limited

1997

Director

Alain Corneau

Runtime

112 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

The Cousin is a crime drama that emphasizes philosophical and moral complexity over broad demographic representation. It explores the tension between individuals and institutional structures, avoiding simple moral binaries. While the film adheres to traditional demographics, it challenges cultural norms through a postmodern lens, questioning the rigidity of social orders and the corruption within institutions.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does The Cousin have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film focuses primarily on the relationship between two male characters, emphasizing their bond without explicitly addressing LGBTQ+ identities or non-traditional gender roles.

How does The Cousin portray gender?

Limited

The story revolves around a predominantly masculine dynamic, with the central plot driven by male characters and their interactions within a powerful institution.

How racially and ethnically diverse is The Cousin?

Limited

The film depicts a relatively uniform social environment typical of its French setting, with no significant effort to include diverse racial backgrounds among the main characters.

How does The Cousin represent religion and culture?

Good

The film effectively questions traditional Western moral frameworks, presenting a complex look at moral relativism and the allure of situational ethics over established laws.

Does The Cousin include disability representation?

Minimal

The film does not focus on physical or neurological disabilities. Instead, characters are defined by their psychological states and changes in their socioeconomic circumstances.

Present on Screen

Sophisticated deconstruction of traditional Western moral frameworks.
Complex exploration of moral relativism and situational ethics.
Strong character development that challenges conventional expectations.

Limited or Absent

Lack of explicit LGBTQ+ representation.
Predominantly masculine framework that limits gender diversity.
Homogeneous casting that lacks racial and ethnic variety.

Official Synopsis

Nounours is the nickname of a "cousin" an informer with a special arrangement with the police: he gets 10% of the drugs seized thanks to his help. When his personal contact, inspector Maurin, commits suicide, inspector Gérard Delvaux takes over. Meanwhile, judge Lambert is uncovering the illegal practices of the policemen. Her persistent investigations, which had cornered Maurin, are leading to Gérard, and also to Nounours as the source of heroin that led to recent cases of deadly overdoses. Nounours promises Gérard increasingly bigger catches which he is intent on realising before he is forced to reveal who Nounours is to judge Lambert.

How are these scores produced? →