Dominik Molle’s previous film, “LA NUIT DU DOUZE,” was a taut police procedural, a team of officers investigated the murder of a young woman. The atmosphere was tense, the cops were imperfect people, one, in particular, was all in with the investigation, which took years. He was the last man standing when everyone in the precinct had given up.

In “Dossier 137,” which premiered in competition at this 78th Cannes Film Festival, the last man standing is a woman, Stéphanie (Léa Drucker). She works at the IGPN, where police officers investigate other police officers. During the 2018 Yellow Vest protests (a hurricane of popular protest, borne from discontent with declining public services, shook France to its core and alarmed public officials), an encounter went badly between riot officers in civilian clothing and a couple of young men. The officers fire rubber bullets, and one of the men takes one to the head, leaving him with debilitating injuries.

An investigation takes place, with Stéphanie taking the lead, and two other officers who give her an assist. Drucker doesn’t express much with her face, except all that’s really needed: dignity and professionalism. But the more she becomes involved with the case–and complications will arise, her family knows the family of the victim, they’re all from the same town) the deeper the trenches that form around her. Police officers, such as her ex-husband, express their resentment toward her for investigating cops. Her son asks her, “Mom, why do people hate cops?” And the mother of the victim feels betrayed by her, anger replacing sadness. Ultimately, Stéphanie finds herself on her own.

While “DOSSIER 137” combines the very topical yellow vest protest with a finger pointed at problems of police violence and the code of silence that exists within the force, Moll made a movie about aloneness. Stéphanie’s is a complex role and Léa Drucker rises to the task.

Very enjoyable!