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Pater is a French political satire film released in 2011, directed by Alain Cavalier and starring Vincent Lindon, with Cavalier and Bernard Bureau also making appearances in the film. The movie was a unique project in which the actors were given no script, and the dialogue was entirely improvised between them. The film was shot in black and white, giving it a distinct and minimalist aesthetic.

The story of Pater follows two men: Vincent Lindon and Alain Cavalier. Lindon plays a journalist who has been hired by a politician (Cavalier) to record their conversations throughout the election campaign. The politician tells the journalist that he wants to make a different kind of film, one that is about the relationship between himself and his campaign manager. They begin to shoot the film and a series of improvised conversations between the two men ensue as they travel to various locations around France, campaigning for the upcoming election.

The film is structured around a series of double interviews in which the two men discuss their personal and political beliefs. The conversations take place in cars, cafes, and hotel rooms, and the dialogue varies in tone from light-hearted banter to deeper discussions about politics and morality. Throughout the film, the two men develop a warm and often humorous rapport, sharing stories, jokes, and opinions about everything from France's immigration policy to their favorite books.

One of the striking elements of Pater is its use of real-life French politicians and political events. The film begins with a montage of news footage from the 2010 French presidential campaign, featuring Nicolas Sarkozy and other prominent politicians. This footage serves to ground the film in a specific historical and political context, and provides commentary on the role of the media in shaping public opinion.

Another key theme of the film is the relationship between the journalist and the politician. As they grow closer over the course of the film, it becomes clear that the politician is using the opportunity to shape his public image and manipulate the journalist into presenting him in a favorable light. This dynamic is complicated by the fact that the journalist is also an artist and he is interested in exploring the boundaries between fact and fiction in his work.

The film's improvised dialogue is consistently engaging and often insightful. The conversations between the two men are filled with philosophical musings on the nature of power, the role of art in politics, and the responsibilities of the media. At times, the dialogue veers towards abstraction, with the two men discussing concepts like the "revelation of the self" and the "poetics of government." However, these moments are always grounded in the characters' personal experiences and beliefs, and never feel forced or insincere.

Despite the film's heavy subject matter, Pater is infused with a sense of playfulness and humor that keeps it from feeling overly dry or didactic. The two leads are both charismatic and likable, and their natural chemistry makes their conversations fun to watch. The black and white cinematography, coupled with the film's minimalistic approach to storytelling, gives it a timeless quality that allows it to function both as a piece of political commentary and as a character study.

Overall, Pater is a thought-provoking and entertaining film that provides a unique perspective on the intersection of art and politics. Its use of improvised dialogue and real-life events makes it feel authentic and grounded in reality, while its more abstract moments provide a welcome intellectual challenge for viewers. Vincent Lindon and Alain Cavalier both give excellent performances, anchoring the film with their natural wit and charm.

Pater is a 2011 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 41 minutes. It has received moderate reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.0.