Review of Jules and Jim (1962) by Justin S — 02 May 2008

Good film, regarded as some by one of the best ever. I can't agree. I could see myself in some of the characters, and I could see my friends in others. With that said, I didn't really feel a connection with the characters.

I understand that's common in French films, but I wanted so much to feel something for any one of them. By the end of the picture, it just felt cold, and what should have been a dramatic ending felt forced and not fully fleshed out.

I don't care of that was the intention of the filmmaker or not, it didn't work for me. Apparently it's worked for other people, but I just didn't vibe with it the way other people seem to.

With that said, there is a lot of good to be found in this film. Like I said, I can find a little piece of myself and others in the three main characters, but they are more caricature than character. They deliver some fantastic lines, some quotes I would easily nab in an instant, and the acting was skillful enough.

The cinematography was average, but there's nothing wrong with that as long as I get a good story. I just wasn't connected, and I really, really wanted to be. Maybe I'll watch it again to see if I missed something, but for what it is, it's a good film, not great, that if redone could benefit greatly from a more impactful ending.