Review of Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961) by Alexl — 01 May 2019

Even though I had never seen Breakfast at Tiffany's, probably because it is so often referenced or talked about, I thought I had a really good grasp of what it was about. Now, I've watched it. Turns out, my assumptions were really not that good and what I mean by that is that they were way off.

I absolutely loved that movie. It aged beautifully, it feels timeless. The cinematography is superb and New York looks gorgeous in these exquisite tints and colors. Audrey Hepburn makes a very strong lead with this vibrant and captivating interpretation of Holly Golightly.

She is so generous and invested in her part in a very excentric way giving her character such force. Her screen presence is magnetic, you just can't ignore her as though she had cast a spell on you. This very layered performance pulls you in and makes her enigmatic and somewhat improbable characters totally believable.

I also appreciated very much the screenplay. It is resolutely modern for so many reasons. Thematically, it was clearly progressive for the time it was made and a lot of it still feels very fresh today and the expression of the gender roles and dynamics is certainly not traditional.

When compared to most of today's rom-com, it feels even less stereotypical. The very enticing rhythm is also notable giving the whole movie this sense of urgency. The whole story, taking place in a more or less linear way, is told through subsequent fragments of life with often unpredictable jumps in time that lets you witness the evolution of the characters in a very dynamic way and it always keeps you very alert.

Also, even though, it is most often talked about as a romance, personally, I'm not even sure that's how I would describe it. Honestly, during the entire movie, it's never clear what it is about. It embraces certainly much more than a banal love story and brings into light a wide-ranging list of topics.

Also, as many have specified, Henry Mancini provides a very sweet soundtrack. Also, I found George Peppard's performance, even though his part is much more subdued than Hepburn's, absolutely delicious and dreamy.

He's perfect for the role and shows tenderness and vulnerability rarely shown in male parts. Also, I have to admit his good looks totally swoon me every time he was on the screen. So gorgeous. Finally, I found the last part of the film very moving and it touched me dearly in a way I didn't expect at all.

It really lingered with me and I was still moved and rethinking about it many days after viewing it. It really is a wonderful movie and with absolutely no questions it is a film you must see. Just watch it already if you haven't yet.

I wish I hadn't waited so long before I did.