A joyful portrayal of youth misbehaviour and presents one of my favourite themes; how children's failures stem from the adults around them. The ending is a killer, it's so appropriate and technically audacious.

Truffaut encapsulates the fleeting nature of adolescence within 14-year-old Leaud, who dedicates himself completely to the role. We follow rebellious, delicate, and misunderstood Antoine as he learns about the harsh realities of life, the viewer pains and frees themselves alongside him. The ending scene is both subtle and reviving; a moment that will no doubt trigger a memory of breaking free. Simply beautiful, all around.

The emotions are intense, you really feel in the skin of the protagonist. Great directing.

Interesting to hear that this was inspired by a Sesame St Monsterpiece Theatre sketch. It could've reached poignancy if it was more poignant.

Truffaut's first feature film is one of the key entries from the dawn of the French New Wave. Even putting historical significance aside, the film is vivid, darkly amusing and exciting in a way characteristic of great art. The film is naturalistic and empathetic, perfectly conveying the urgency that the lead character feels as he bolts through the world, running for his life, or, more accurately, a life worth living.

I won't write much about it, just that it's a fabulous film, both in the light of it's relevance, but also just as a piece of art. The boy was what impressed me most, he's just there 100% from the first shot. It's exciting and better than it's inspiration (Zero de Conduit).

94.000

Still one of the great works of the New Wave, the 400 Blows works primarily because of spots of humour (no idealized past here, kids call each other assholes and do awful things to each other), and the fact that the film is not only honest about the troubles of Truffaut, but obviously the troubles that Jean-Pierre Leaud had at the time. Brutally honest, and although I find the ending shot too cliche in retrospect, the rest of the ending is brilliant and so is the film. Score is not a grade.

Classic of French New Wave. You will love following misunderstood Antoine on his adventures in rebellion.

Phenomenal in just about every respect. It's such a relatable coming-of-age story, full of sympathetic characters, realistic dialogue, and insight into the mind of neglected and troubled youths. It carries a great deal of emotional weight without ever feeling forced or manipulative. The ending is perfect. But the best scene is when Rene and Antoine steal the poster of Harriet Andersson off the wall of the cinema. I would so do that. As an aside, I think Loach's Kes is just as good.

My favorite Truffaut film.

"The 400 Blows, one of the initiating sparks of the French New Wave, ultimately boils down to the film's trendsetting coda, perhaps the most exclamatory question mark in movies." - Eric Henderson

A film not only about trying to break free; but also of seeing reality for the first time, captured in the stark innocence of youth. Honest, sensitive, innocent, often carefree, but always realistic & without need for exaggeration or visual flattery. Captured with Truffaut's beautiful, expressive B & W cinematography.

Antoine Doinel is such a good character; he's not a good kid at all but you still feel for him when he gets into trouble. The movie is great at showing you the ups and downs in his life, and the ending is spectacular.

Truffaut says some rather dark things about adolescence with a disconcertingly jovial tone accentuated by a haunting score. Léaud's Doinel is an child who postures himself as an adult and yearns, without understanding, to be free of the shackles of his youth. The characters are complex, and their selfish and petty actions are true to life. The third act is a pitiless descent into madness, where a single person is made responsible for the mistakes of a community, and the result is profound.