A Parisian couple decides to sell an unsanitary basement in their building. A very ordinary, nondescript man, Mr. Fonzic, shows up to buy it. Nothing unusual there, until the man moves into the cellar and makes it his permanent residence. The couple tries desperately to cancel the sale but to no avail. Worse, Mr. Fonzic becomes a threat to their family as he befriends their teenage daughter on whom he seems to exert a perverted influence.
Acting
François Cluzet's unnervingly ordinary menace steals every scene.
Direction
Le Guay weaponizes French bureaucracy into pure tension.
Director
Philippe Le Guay
François Cluzet
Jacques Fonzic
Bérénice Bejo
Hélène Sandberg
Jérémie Renier
Simon Sandberg
Jonathan Zaccaï
David Sandberg
Martine Chevallier
Maître Rivière
Jack Claudany
Le proviseur
Antoine Levannier
Amos
Victoria Eber
Justine
Denise Chalem
Nelly Sandberg
Patrick Descamps
Grand-père Gérard
Ambroise James Di Maggio
Jérémie Sandberg
Sharif Andoura
Luka Steiner
François-Eric Gendron
Maître Massard
Laëtitia Eïdo
Maître Carole Vasquez
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The film deliberately subverts home invasion tropes by making the threat legally untouchable — French property law is the true monster.
Based on actual French legal cases where 'droit au logement' protections have trapped property owners with nightmare tenants.
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