Daniel Auteil gives a commanding performance as a French private investigator working in London following self imposed exile from Paris following the murder of his family. Making ends meet through a combination of blackmail of those involved in extra marital affairs and fees from their partners, Auteil is a weary character with little joy or passion in life, with the exception of football, and his friendship with a fellow French exile, Nathalie a high class prostitute. However when he takes on a case looking for the missing son of a wealthy industrialist, he finds himself embroiled in the sordid world of the child sex trade. A gripping story with good performances all round, especially from Auteil, this film tackles a taboo subject in a sensitive yet realistic fashion. Auteil's unorthodox methods to secure information should fill an audience with revulsion, yet in this situation, they seem entirely appropriate. Excellent if at times uncomfortable viewing.

"The Lost Son" tells the story of a French private investigator (Auteuil) working in England who is retained by a wealthy family to find their adult son which leads to an investigation into a child slavery ring. A top tier film with all that we've come to enjoy about Europics and an excellent cosmopolitan cast, "TGS" has probably garnered more negative criticism than it deserves for taking on the subject of pedophilia. If so, it's simply a sad testament to a public mentality which will laud such sensationalistic garbage as "Pulp Fiction" or "Lock, Stock..." and their horrific violence while rejecting a more real treatment of a difficult issue which was not exploitive and offered insights into an evil underground of which too few are aware. Kudos to those who brought "The Lost Son" to fruition for an excellent film which did not sensationalize or pander to the people though it had the opportunity to do so.

It is interesting that "8MM," with a plot so similar, came out the same year. I found this film more interesting and believable and far less dark and stomach-turning. It is well-filmed and acted with some interesting locations. The tension is well-metered. I enjoyed the colorfulness of the filming. The cosmopolitan/European flavor lends a great deal. I enjoyed the music as well. I would see this film again with a friend.