So Long, Stooge

Lambert is a withdrawn, middle-aged gas-station attendant who drinks heavily and lives with a sense of failure. A former police officer, he carries guilt over his failed relationship with his son, who died from an overdose after Lambert attempted to force his withdrawal. As Bensoussan's life spirals into debt and danger, Lambert becomes a reluctant guardian and, later, a vigilante determined to avenge the young man's murder.

A young man of mixed Jewish-Arab origins who earns a living selling drugs. He drifts between petty crime and quick friendships, and his charisma masks a precarious life on the edge of the law. His relationship with Lola adds a fragile warmth to his otherwise perilous existence, until a brutal hit from Rachid's gang ends his life.

A punk-tinted young woman who becomes involved with Bensoussan and later assists Lambert. She oscillates between loyalty and self-protective caution, compelled by a mix of affection and street-smart pragmatism. Her choice to follow Lambert marks a pivot from bystander to participant in the vigilante arc.

The gang leader who controls the drug supply and enforces his authority with violence. He punishes Bensoussan for a debt and pushes Lambert toward crossing lines he swore never to cross. Rachid embodies the brutal, transactional world at the heart of the drug trade.

One of Bensoussan's murderers, Mahmoud represents the immediate danger lurking in the drug network. His actions precipitate Lambert's turn toward revenge and push Lola deeper into Lambert's world of crisis.

Sylvio is the main supplier of the drug outfit, a smooth operator who tries to keep a calm front as Lambert arrives with a loaded conscience. Lambert's confrontation with him shows that even those who seem in control can be cowed by the threat of a reckoning.

A police detective investigating Bensoussan's murder, Bauer reveals Lambert's past as a former officer. He embodies the law's skepticism and the mounting pressure to solve the case, while hinting at Lambert's inability to escape his former life.

One of the routine customers at the late-night gas station, a minor figure who helps establish the station's ordinary rhythms. His presence reinforces the sense that the station is a crossroads for a wide array of city dwellers.

The other regular customer whose brief exchange with Lambert helps underline the normalcy that persists alongside the surrounding danger. He serves as a reminder that even in a violent urban setting, ordinary moments continue.

A minor figure in the neighborhood, contributing to the texture of the station's late-night traffic. His presence adds to the lived-in feel of the setting.

Another minor customer at the station, providing further texture to the routine of the locale and the backdrop against which Lambert's actions unfold.

A young Black woman who appears in the story, involved in Lola's circle and the street-level world of the station. She adds to the film's portrait of a diverse, rough urban milieu.