Review of Jules and Jim (1962) by Patrick B — 05 Jul 2010

It's an off-beat romance that's definitely original, but I just didn't care about these characters at all. It wasn't that they were poorly developed, I just didn't approve of their lifestyle, and if I were the two men, I would have left Catherine way beforehand.

I think Truffaut at this point was embracing the French New Wave a little too heartily, and he just wanted to make a romance that was dramatically different. While this is certainly admirable, it leads to a film that doesn't quite work.

Luckily, when Truffaut indulges in style, he does it in a way that helps tell the story (unlike the stylistic tendencies of Godard). You can tell he's having fun with the material, and the music certainly backs him up on that.

All in all, "Jules and Jim" does have moments of brilliance, but I was disappointed by the overall story. It's not particularly compelling. Still, "Jules and Jim" is worth a watch if you're looking for something original.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a romance quite like this one.