L'homme qui ment

Truth, truths , or neither? Excellent, but not if you want something straightforward

"What was so nouveau about the Nouveau Roman?" http://illusionpodcast.blogspot.com/2014/06/episode-19-first-films-of-alain-robbe.html

The premise is truly interesting which made me want to like it, but the writing is rather dull and the execution terribly rigid, the set pieces sloppy, the acting mechanical. You might mistake its amateurishness for artiness, but to me it's a prime example of how the French New Wave usually had much lower production values and directing standards than, say, its contemporary Czech New Wave, which was also far artier.

An exercise in style rather than a film with any kind of meaning or soul. As a result it's almost impossible to give a shit about anything that happens - and not much does.

While Robbe-Grillet's Trans-Europ-Express worked both as a genre film and an experiment, this one feels much more like an exercise in style. There's still a lot to admire; the cinematography and the Czech(?) locations build an interesting mood, but the increased vagueness starts to take its toll well before the end credits. I'm glad I saw it, but most likely won't need to see it again.