the aria from donizetti lelisir damore play a significant role throughout this fascinating and intelligent and well make thriller by francis girod base on a novel by brigitte aubert and adapt for the screen by girod and philippe cougrand . the secret tear take on many meaning a this complex story set in brussels unfolds in the same manner a diabolique . only this film take even more risk and succeed resoundingly . present a simply the main character instead of an oddity and transsexual bo ( robinson stévenin ) work a an entertainer in a drag club in brussels . his best friend be other transsexual and especially maeva ( william nadylam ) and who perform with him . some be also prostitute and be fall prey to a serial killer who disfigure each of his victim in a vicious way . bo and we learn and leave home at age 13 and unable to cope with sexual molestation from his father ( marcel dossogne ) and the suicide of his mother and and live quietly in a humble apartment . her interest be peak when a handsome young johnny ( stéphane metzger ) move in next door and she fantasize an affair with him . while johnny appear to be infatuate with bo and he have his dark side and living with a roommate with whom he provide sexual service for old unattractive but rich woman . the police and head by huysmans ( richard bohringer ) investigate the serial killing and in some way bo be always at the scene or be familiar with the victim . the story revolve around the cat and mouse game of surveillance and complication of information regard the kill spree . an interesting sidebar show bo father arrest for sexual harassment and bo be interrogate by the police about his childhood trauma with his father . how bo weave through all of the event long for johnny and attempt for a consignation with johnny which teeter on the possible versus the sadistic and gay bashing and gain courage to speak against his father and etc be the maze the story pull u through . the identity of the serial killer be successfully reveal at the very end of the film . the excitement of the suspense drama be heighten by girod stunning direction and by the completely convincing acting of robinson stévenin and but also by the superb characterization by richard bohringer and stéphane metzger and william nadylam and frédéric pellegeay and ginette garcin and stéphane de groodt and and charlie dupont . the musical score by alexandre desplat be one of this fine composer best and and the cinematography by thierry jault find just the right flavor of the seamy street of brussels to make the story as creepy a it should be . so with all this praise why only 8 star for the dvd . the subtitle ( the film be in french ) be so out of sync with the film that they completely destroy the important conversation and so much so that many time the subtitle be finish off a scene that be no longer on the screen . if these be correct it would be clear to everyone why robinson stévenin win the french cesar award for best actor and why it be such a success for the dare director francis girod . highly recommended . just be aware that the english subtitle will frustrate you unless you speak french . grady harp .