The Ax
Le Couperet
“Some people would die to get (him) this job.”
Synopsis
Bruno loved his job as a middle manager at a paper company, but optimistically views being laid off as an opportunity. After two years of searching for a comparable position, optimism turns to desperation. His wife works two jobs, and their marriage slowly deteriorates as their hold on the middle class slips away. Bruno concocts a grimly audacious plan to identify and kill his fellow job applicants so that he is the only qualified person left.
Top Cast
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José Garcia
Bruno Davert
Karin Viard
Marlène Davert
Ulrich Tukur
Gérard Hutchinson
Olivier Gourmet
Raymond Machefer
Yvon Back
Etienne Barnet
Thierry Hancisse
Inspector Kesler
Olga Grumberg
Iris Thompson
Geordy Couturiau
Maxime Davert
Christa Théret
Betty Davert
Yolande Moreau
Post Office Clerk
Dieudonné Kabongo
Quinlan Longus
Jean-Pierre Gos
Garage Owner
Vanessa Larré
Predator
Serge Larivière
Police Inspector
Jeanne Savary
TV Host
Luce Mouchel
Mrs. Rick
Philippe Bardy
Mr. Rick
Marie Kremer
Judy Rick
Release History & Theatrical Window
July 28, 2005
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$5.4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$4.9M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
0.91x
-$500K deficit
Theatrical Status
Budget Return
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Costa-Gavras
- Screenplay & Story
- Costa-Gavras, Jean-Claude Grumberg
- Original Score
- Armand Amar
- Original Title
- Le Couperet
- Country of Origin
- France, Belgium, Spain
- Spoken Languages
- Dutch, French
- Runtime
- 1h 58m
- Production Budget
- $5.4M
- Worldwide Gross
- $4.9M
- Production Studios
- KG Productions, StudioCanal, France 2 Cinéma, Les Films du Fleuve, RTBF, SCOPE Invest, Wanda Visión
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Costa-Gavras
Costa-Gavras, Jean-Claude Grumberg, Donald E. Westlake
Armand Amar
Patrick Blossier
Yannick Kergoat
Jean-Pierre Dardenne, Luc Dardenne, José María Morales, Michèle Ray-Gavras
Department Leadership Roster
Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Producer
Luc Dardenne
Producer
José María Morales
Producer
Michèle Ray-Gavras
Producer
Costa-Gavras
Director
Patrick Blossier
Director of Photography
Costa-Gavras
Screenplay
Jean-Claude Grumberg
Screenplay
Yannick Kergoat
Editor
Laurence Maréchal
Costume Design
Laurent Deroo
Production Design
Armand Amar
Original Music Composer
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for The Ax.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring The Ax.
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Frequently Asked Questions About The Ax
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is The Ax about?
Bruno loved his job as a middle manager at a paper company, but optimistically views being laid off as an opportunity. After two years of searching for a comparable position, optimism turns to desperation. His wife works two jobs, and their marriage slowly deteriorates as their hold on the middle class slips away. Bruno concocts a grimly audacious plan to identify and kill his fellow job applicants so that he is the only qualified person left.
Who directed The Ax?
The Ax was directed by Costa-Gavras.
Who stars in The Ax?
The principal cast of The Ax includes José Garcia, Karin Viard, Ulrich Tukur, Olivier Gourmet, Yvon Back.
When was The Ax released and how long is it?
The Ax was released in 2005 with a total runtime of 1h 58m.
What was the box office and production budget of The Ax?
The Ax had a reported production budget of $5.4M and grossed $4.9M at the worldwide box office (0.91 return on budget, classified as a underperformed).
Who composed the musical score for The Ax?
The original motion picture soundtrack for The Ax was composed by Armand Amar.
Is The Ax based on a book or true story?
The Ax is adapted from the following source material: Novel: "Donald E. Westlake".
What is the age rating and content advisory for The Ax?
The Ax holds official age classifications: DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).