Review of Breathless (1960) by Cory B — 15 May 2010

I'm lost... what's so great about this? 1) The so called 'extremely influential and inventive' jump-cutting is annoying and off-putting. Reminded me a lot of 'The 25th Hour.' 2) Listening to Jean Seberg try to speak French was, well, hard to listen to. Maybe that was the point? 3) I realize that Belmondo's character was trying to be like Bogart, but what is created is one of the (if not THE) biggest douchebag to be committed to film. I'm sorry: I'm not going to care for a character that is too lazy to get out the country because he needs to get laid. 4) Emotions and character development come out of nowhere. 5) People don't talk like that.

Anyway, I get that it's supposed to be fake and in kind of a suspended diegesis, but seeing passers-by looking into the camera really takes you out of it. I've seen tons of films; I'm not an idiot, and I'm new to the French new wave. But, here's my opinion: The new wave was born out of apathy and laziness and contempt against the machinations of the Hollywood system. By trimming down budgets, shooting on location and not writing a script, you're changing the way films are shot for the first time. But, these so-called techniques all add up to a really sub-par final product. Somehow, someone like 'Breathless' and 'The 400 Blows,' the new wave took off, and directors were astounded (but grateful) for the trend. I'm sorry, I can't call laziness art.