Bensoussan (Richard Anconina) is a drug dealer, but really, he’s small-time. When the cops are on his trail, he hides in a gas station and ends up befriending the night manager, Lambert (Coluche), a bitter old man who finds hope and seeks to redeem the younger criminal.

However, debts and bad decisions lead to Bensoussan being murdered while Lambert can only watch, helpless. As he goes for revenge, he becomes close with his dead friend’s girlfriend, Lola (Agnès Soral) and explains how he was once a cop until his son got into drugs, just like Bensoussan. And much like his lost young buddy, his son was killed by his habit.

Nobody is getting out of this alive, but maybe there can be some payback. And perhaps a tiny living before the bullets hit.

Coluche was going through a divorce and a drug habit of his own when he made this. He felt responsible for the suicide of his friend Patrick Dewaere, so his emotional performance comes not just from his acting ability but from his life.

The Radiance Films Blu-ray release of this movie has a 4K restoration by Pathé approved by cinematographer Bruno Nuytten. It also includes extras, such as Once Upon a Time… Tchao Pantin is a documentary film featuring interviews with writer-director Claude Berri, novelist Alain Page, stars Richard Anconina, Mahmoud Zemmouri, Agnès Soral, cinematographer Bruno Nyutten, and others. There’s a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista, as well as a limited-edition booklet featuring new writing by Manuela Lazic. It’s a limited Edition of 3,000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with an emovable OBI strip, leaving the packaging free of certificates and markings. You can get it from MVD.