The Innocent

The Innocent

Year: 2023

Runtime: 99 min

Language: French

ComedyRomanceCrime

In present-day Lyon, marine biologist Abel struggles to accept his mother's quick marriage to Michel, a former convict. Driven by protective instincts, Abel and his best friend Clémence delve into Michel's past, uncovering secrets and sparking an unexpected business opportunity. As they investigate, the lines between family, love, and the possibility of redemption become increasingly blurred, leading them on a daring and complex journey.

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Timeline & Setting – The Innocent (2023)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Innocent (2023). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

Location

Prison, Aquarium, Flower shop, Restaurant, Hospital

The narrative unfolds across several settings that drive the tension: a prison where Sylvie teaches theater and Abel’s past weighs on him; the aquarium where Abel works with Clémence; the premises intended for a flower shop that become the backdrop for a staged crime; and the sequence of locations from a restaurant to a hospital during the aftermath of the heist. These places anchor the characters’ relationships and the escalating stakes. The final act takes place around the delivery point and the police, highlighting the consequences of the criminals’ plans.

🏛️ Prison 🐟 Aquarium 🚚 Freight truck 🏥 Hospital 🏪 Flower shop

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:41

Main Characters – The Innocent (2023)

Meet the key characters of The Innocent (2023), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Abel Lefranc (Louis Garrel)

Sylvie’s adult son with a troubled past, Abel bears guilt for a fatal car accident that killed his wife Maud. He becomes involved in Michel’s plan, initially spying and later taking part in the theft to secure his family’s future. His loyalty and love are tested by deception, danger, and the shadow of his past actions.

🕊️ Family 🔒 Secrets 🤝 Loyalty

Clémence Genièvre (Noémie Merlant)

Abel’s best friend and aquarium coworker who is drawn into Michel’s scheme. Her involvement deepens into a mutual romance with Abel, tying her fate to the crime’s outcome. She is pragmatic and capable, balancing loyalty to Abel with the risk of getting pulled into something spiraling out of control.

❤️ Romance 🧭 Alliance ⚖️ Trust

Michel Ferrand (Roschdy Zem)

A recently released inmate who orchestrates the caviar heist to repay a favor. He uses calculated moves and manipulation to control the plan, while his past continues to haunt him and complicate present loyalties. His motives are a blend of self-interest and a sense of obligation to a debt never fully repaid.

🤫 Secret 🧩 Manipulation 🧭 Calculated

Sylvie Lefranc (Anouk Grinberg)

A prison theater teacher and Abel’s mother, Sylvie’s history with inmates colors her current decisions and estrangement from Michel. She pushes for truth and accountability, yet her silence and reactions reveal the emotional toll of the tangled relationships around her. Her presence anchors the family’s moral tension.

💔 Mother 🕊️ Remorse 🧭 Conflict

Jean-Paul (Jean-Claude Pautot)

An associate in Michel’s circle who intends to double-cross Michel for personal gain. His opportunism raises the stakes of the heist and forces Abel and Clémence to improvise under pressure. He embodies the risks of betrayal that complicate trust.

🗡️ Betrayal 🧭 Ambition ⚖️ Risk

La témoin de Sylvie (Léa Wiazemsky)

The witness in Sylvie’s circle who observes the evolving dynamics between Sylvie and the inmates. Her perspective hints at the broader social consequences of confinement, love, and choices made under pressure. She provides a reflective lens on memory and rumor in the story.

👀 Witness 🧭 Memory 🗣️ Gossip

La femme à l'aquarium (Manda Touré)

A minor figure at the aquarium who intersects with Abel’s world, illustrating the ordinary life that surrounds the crime plot. Her presence underscores the contrast between everyday routine and the escalating danger of the heist.

🌊 Setting 🧭 Everyday life 🗝️ Secrets

Maud (Olga Amelchenko)

Abel’s late wife, killed in the car accident that stains Abel with guilt. Her memory haunts Abel’s decisions and foreshadows the consequences of attempting to escape the past. She serves as a moral counterpoint to Abel’s later choices.

💔 Memory 🕊️ Loss 🧭 Guilt

L'élu au premier mariage (Romain Blachier)

A figure tied to Michel’s past marriage, referenced but not deeply explored. He represents the reach of Michel’s earlier life and the loyalties that continue to shape present decisions.

🗝️ Past 🧭 Loyalties 📜 History

Le chauffeur du camion de caviar (Yanisse Kebbab)

The truck driver whose routine becomes a focal point of Michel’s plan. He is used as a vehicle for the crew’s distraction, and his involvement becomes a turning point when the scheme threatens to unravel. His ordinary life underscores the plot’s intrusion into normalcy.

🚚 Truck driver 🕯️ Fate 🧭 Risk

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:41

Major Themes – The Innocent (2023)

Explore the central themes of The Innocent (2023), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🕵️ Deception

Deception threads through the plot as Michel, Abel, and Clémence manipulate routine, emotions, and appearances to enable a high-stakes theft. The group relies on staged scenes and misdirection to keep authorities and rivals at bay. Trust is repeatedly tested as hidden motives come to light during the heist.

🤝 Loyalty

Loyalty motivates and conflicts the characters: Abel’s loyalty to Michel versus his family pressures; Clémence’s growing bond with Abel challenges her initial role as an accomplice; Michel’s need to repay a favor fuels risky decisions that jeopardize everyone involved. The web of loyalties ultimately determines who protects whom when danger erupts.

🏛️ Prison

The prison setting shapes the characters’ behavior and choices. Sylvie’s profession as a prison theater teacher, Abel’s guilt about his past, and the constant presence of confinement influence their decisions and limit the options available outside illegal schemes. The institution serves as a constant reminder of consequence and control.

Last Updated: October 03, 2025 at 19:41

Unlock the Full Story of The Innocent

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The Innocent Summary

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The Innocent Summary

The Innocent Timeline

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The Innocent Timeline

The Innocent Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Innocent Spoiler-Free Summary

More About The Innocent

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