The Night of the 12th: Dominik Moll is very methodical as he tells the story of a murder investigation after a young woman is burned alive going back home from a night with her girlfriends. Without any showboating or excesses, he follows it step-by-step, as the policemen in charge learn of new possible leads, all the while giving enough space for the main character and some choice supporting characters to breathe and grow. The performances are very effective, and likewise contained; Bastien Bouillon, as the young squad leader that obsesses about the case, is quite good; Bouli Lanners, as the veteran detective who is losing his cool, is perhaps even better; Pauline Serieys, as the victim’s best friend, is touching, as well as crucial for an important attitude shift. Editor Laurent Rouan gives the film a good pace as it moves from discovery to discovery; composer Olivier Marguerit’s musical score is very effective in setting the quietly dark tone of the whole.