AUTUMN [* 1/2] (One and one-half stars)

SLOW, pretentious and proudly inscrutable, “Autumn” is a French thriller directed by Ra’up McGee, an American documentarian futilely trying to pay homage to the European films he watched during his formative years.

Laurent Lucas plays a hit man who loses interest in his work after hooking up with his childhood sweetheart (Irene Jacob) – much to the displeasure of his restaurateur boss (Michel Aumont), who employs an ambitious young employee (Dinara Droukarova) to prod his errant protégé back into line.

The plot, frequently interrupted by flashbacks to the hero’s childhood and punctuated by a series of dull double-crosses, revolves around the pursuit of a mysterious silver suitcase.

“Autumn” wants to do for Jean-Pierre Melville what “Reservoir Dogs” did for Hong Kong cinema, but this new film is a joyless exercise in film appreciation.

Running time: 110 minutes. In French with English subtitles. Not rated (violence, profanity, sexuality). At the Quad, 13th Street between Fifth and Sixth avenues.