"Murderers" is murder. A distended, wannabe drama about two young female drifters who end up committing manslaughter, pic blows a promising set-up to wander along, episodically and sans dramatic tension, to an almost casual resolution. Based on an unfilmed treatment (inspired by a true event) by late helmer Maurice Pialat, this is headed nowhere beyond Gaul, where it opens late June.For reasons only divulged later, half-Turkish Nina (Hande Kodja) wants to get out of Paris and visit friends in Bordeaux, western France. She ends up getting a lift part of the way from a lipstick lesbian (Anais de Courson), whose family owns a hotel in La Rochelle. There, in a clinic, she befriends Lizzy (Celine Sallette), who's recovering from a suicide attempt and together they hit the road with no cash and no clear destination. Script is equally directionless, with most of the color coming from small character cameos en route; the final murder comes more as a blessed relief from their wanderings rather than as a believable resolution of their vaguely drawn anti-social tendencies. Widescreen tech package is pro, and blowup from Super-16 excellent.
Camera (color, widescreen), Pascal Caubere; editor, Dominique Gallieni; music, Silth . Reviewed at Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard), May 21, 2006. Running time: 101 MIN.
