Le petit lieutenant 2006

Graduating from the police academy as a lieutenant, Antoine embarks on a new chapter by joining a detective squad in the bustling streets of Paris, leaving behind his young wife in their hometown of Le Havre. The squad is led by Caroline, who, after suffering the devastating loss of her young son to meningitis, has struggled with alcoholism. Now on the path to recovery and finding her footing again, she develops a connection with her bright young assistant, sharing moments of understanding, even indulging in a quiet smoke together at times.

As the investigation unfolds, the team is focused on two alarming incidents, where both a Polish man and an English man fall victim to brutal attacks, ultimately ending up beaten, knifed, and discarded in the river. Tragedy strikes when the first man fails to survive the ordeal, but a witness comes forward claiming the assailant was a Russian. The second victim manages to cling to life and is able to confirm the nationality of his attacker as well.

As detective work progresses, Antoine and a colleague narrow down a potential lead to a suspect’s address. However, while he waits to continue the investigation, Antoine’s colleague steps out to use the restroom at a bar across the street, leaving Antoine to proceed alone. Tragically, he is ambushed and fatally knifed.

Devastated by the loss of Antoine and feeling the weight of her squad’s failure, Caroline grapples with grief and frustration. After a difficult night spent drowning her sorrows in gin and reflecting on her past with an ex-lover, she rekindles her resolve to seek justice for her fallen colleague. Through relentless detective work, she tracks down an associate of the killer, leading to his arrest. By monitoring his mobile phone, she discovers calls from the actual murderer, pinpointing his location in Nice.

Determined to end the cycle of violence, Caroline travels to Nice, where she witnesses a coordinated storming of a building by local police. In a tense moment, the killer makes a desperate leap from a window, but with resolve, Caroline draws her pistol and, amidst the chaos, takes the decisive action to eliminate the threat once and for all.