far too intent on capturing the minutaie of the trio's crime to make this a compelling movie

[font=Century Gothic]In "Fresh Bait", Nathalie(Marie Gillain) is an 18 year old shopgirl(sorry, shopgirl/model) by day. At night, she roams high class bars making contact with wealthy gentlemen trying to forward her career prospects. Her boyfriend, Eric(Olivier Sitruk), has been out of work for so long that his father has disowned him. His friend, Bruno(Bruno Putzulu), also terminally unemployed, crashes at Nathalie's apartment which is paid for by her mom. The three of them dream of moving to America where they can own their own store but first they need 10 million Francs. Where is this eternally broke trio supposed to come up with such a sum? Well, they decide on a bold plan of action to rob men chosen out of Nathalie's address book.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]While it does feel a little like a film of the French New Wave, "Fresh Bait" is so amateurish and nonsensical that I still wonder if it is meant to be taken seriously.(Director Bertrand Tavernier should know better.) If the characters need such a large amount of money, then why don't they rob a bank? Home invasion is more the style of drug addicts and the quick fix. Overall, the movie might serve as a critique of the invasive influence of American culture on France.(The young men do watch the 1983 version of "Scarface" an awful lot.)[/font]