Angel – Un ange (2018)

Directed by: Koen Mortier | 106 minutes | drama, romance | Actors: Vincent Rottiers, Fatou N’Diaye, Paul Bartel, Katrien Goossens, Matar Diouf, Aïcha Cissé, Lieven Noterman Nancy Debuy, Rokhaya Niang, Ba Mentor, Yankhouba Diop, Alexander Blumenthal, Makhtar Diop, Ronnie Kreeft, Mouhamadou Diarra, Kilifeu

The short life of cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke was a Greek tragedy on two wheels. The Belgian (1974-2009) won many classics and stages on the bike, but he made a mess of his personal life. Stress, frequent doping use and an unfortunate love life led to suicide attempts and admission to a psychiatric clinic. His untimely death was as exceptional as his life: dying of a double pulmonary embolism somewhere in a motel in Senegal. Where the smell of a Senegalese prostitute still hung in the room.

Fleming Dimitri Verhulst wrote the biographical fiction about Vandenbroucke’s last days: ‘Monologue of someone who got used to talking to himself’. This novella forms the basis for the Belgian-Dutch co-production ‘Engel’ (‘Un ange’) by director-screenwriter Koen Mortier. There are some changes to the real story though. For example, the cyclist here has been given a different name (Thierry) and a different travel companion.

No problem at all, because the interpretation of those last days and the thoughts of Thierry and prostitute Fay come from the pen of Koen Mortier anyway. Those thoughts are not very special and they are not expressed very well either. Thierry’s landing is also not very special. An athlete who is completely screwed over by medicines, drugs and an all too wild life often comes by. Also the main observation from the film, that cyclist and prostitute both sell their bodies to the highest bidder, is not a philosophical tour de force.

The fact that ‘Engel’ is worth it is entirely due to its cinematic class. We partially experience Thierry’s last days as a fever dream, with nightmarish memories, visions and distortions of reality. This infringement of reality does not apply exclusively to Thierry, we also sometimes see Fay in beautiful, hallucinatory images.

Those images are a different story. Senegal comes to us in many guises, from the colorful boats on the beach and the gray hues of the city to the pulsating red of Senegal’s nightlife. The film often uses a monochrome color scheme, with a preference for red. It is especially enjoyable when some effects are used, such as with a surreal storm scene at the edge of a swimming pool.

The music always enhances the atmosphere (except for Boney M., but Mortier uses it for a reason) and the actors are doing a great job as well. This makes ‘Engel’ a film that convinces and entertains with a meager content, albeit in a dark way. And somehow that fits perfectly with the short life of cyclist Frank Vandenbroucke.