A police officer moves to a new town and is assigned to a trigger-happy, anti-crime brigade led by a man with questionable morals. They drive around town, making a few shakedowns and interacting with criminal elements. Things take an unexpected turn when they attempt to apprehend a teen thief. A kerfuffle ensues between the cops and a group of teenagers, forcing a cop to shoot a flash-ball at one of the boys. With the help of local criminals, the cops are able to cover up the deed at first, but not for long.
Director Ladj Ly borrows the town of Montfermeil from Victor Hugo’s novel for the setting. But in Ly’s Les Miserables, the teen protagonist is not looking for eventual redemption like Hugo’s Jean Valjean.The movie, which was screened at the Cannes Film Festival and was the French entry to the 92nd Academy Awards, often reminds one of Training Day because of the way it blurs the line between cops and crooks and The Wire, because of the similar backdrop. It is a story about the abuse of power, and the resultant violent uprising.