Denys Arcand

There’s good and bad news about Canadian director Denys Arcand’s The Fall of the American Empire. First, the positive. The opening scene establishes Montreal deliveryman Pierre-Paul’s impressive philosophical and literary knowledge, rare content for a plot-driven theft film. Despite Pierre-Paul’s self-congratulatory pronouncements, it’s fun to hear Pierre-Paul and his soon to be ex-girlfriend bank teller summarize their life’s expectations.