Subway 1985

In a rain-soaked, neon-lit Paris, the story follows a bold thief named Fred, Christopher Lambert, who crashes a birthday party hosted by Héléna, Isabelle Adjani, the wife of a wealthy man. After a quick break-in, Fred flees in her tuxedo-clad car, pursued by her husband’s associates, and a high-stakes chase spills into the city streets. A dramatic crash at the entrance to a Paris Métro station sends the pursuit underground, where the chase continues on foot and aboard a moving train, until Fred manages to outpace his pursuers and vanish into the labyrinthine maze beneath the city.

A tense exchange follows, as Fred phones Héléna to arrange a swap of the papers for money. The deal, rather than bringing a clean cut, ends with Fred accepting a far smaller sum, hinting at a shared attraction that has quietly grown between them. Though her husband’s men loom in the shadows, Fred slips away, and in a surprising turn, he reveals to Héléna that not all of the papers have changed hands. A late-night call seals a confession: he loves her.

Beneath the surface of the metro, Fred encounters a cast of streetwise characters who call the underground home. He befriends Jean-Louis, a small-time thief who lives in a backroom and skates through life on roller skates; Big Bill, a muscular man who works on the tracks and proves twice a helpful ally; a flower seller who eventually buys Fred’s tuxedo; and a duo—a bass player and a drummer—who are coaxed into starting a band with a singer Fred knows. Jean-Louis even suggests a bold plan: rob a pair of money couriers who use the metro station weekly. The idea crackles with danger, but Fred is drawn further into a community that thrives in the dim glow of the tunnels.

The next morning, Fred arranges a private moment with Héléna to hand over the papers, but her husband’s associate Jean blocks their access, forcing a reliance on Gesberg, the metro’s police commissioner, and his aide Batman, who have spent months trying to track down Jean-Louis. A nudge from the flower vendor—who wears Fred’s tuxedo—provides a crucial clue about who is helping Fred. Héléna, emboldened, tracks down Jean-Louis and brings him to Fred, and a tense confrontation follows. In a moment of quiet, she turns a gun on Fred and asks for the truth about the papers; he feigns ignorance, offering misinformation and postponing the reveal. Yet their bond remains undeniable, and the two choose to spend the night together in the emptied metro, joined by Jean-Louis, the drummer, Big Bill, and others, as they steal food, play music, dance, and share a sense of rebellion in the dim, electric glow of the underground.

The morning after, Héléna’s husband unveils a ransom note—ostensibly from Fred—for a vast sum and pulls her back toward the comforts of their prestigious home. He also tasks Jean with dealing with Fred, ratcheting up the danger. A party at a magistrate’s home becomes a showcase for Héléna’s defiance as she insults the assembled guests and withdraws from the event. She returns to Gesberg, pleading for Fred’s protection as the danger closes in. Batman, by chance, crosses paths with Fred but fails to arrest him, and Gesberg ultimately captures Jean-Louis, revealing that it was Jean-Louis who penned the ransom note.

With the metro’s makeshift crew and a plan finally set in motion, Fred and his new allies pull off a bold raid on the money couriers, using the loot to finance a high-profile concert right in the metro station. The performance is a triumph, drawing a crowd and giving the underground world a moment of exhilaration and belonging. When Héléna spots Fred in the crowd, she races toward him with joy, only for Jean to fire his weapon. Fred collapses to the ground, and a devastated Héléna leans in for a desperate kiss as she pleads for his love. He answers with a whispered, bittersweet affirmation, and she lashes out at Jean for his interference. Fred, though wounded, lies on the floor and still sings with the band, a defiant and hopeful finale that lingers in the station’s dim, electric heartbeat.