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Vivre Sa Vie
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Vivre Sa Vie

1962
Drama
1h 25m
This film explores a Parisian woman's descent into prostitution. The movie is comprised of a series of 12 "tableaux" (imdb)
Directed by:
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard
Written by:
Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard Marcel Sacotte
+1 more
Starring:
Paul Pavel Anna Karina Anna Karina Sady Rebbot André S. Labarthe Guylaine Schlumberger Gérard Hoffman Monique Messine Jean-Luc Godard Jean-Luc Godard Henri Attal Henri Attal Brice Parain Alfred Adam Gilles Quéant
More
Genre:
Drama
AKAs:
My Life to Live, Vivre sa vie: Film en douze tableaux
Country:
France
Language:
French
imdb More information at IMDb
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Vivre Sa Vie

1962
Drama
1h 25m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 72.01% from 1695 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(1695)
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kmcneilKMcNeil
Rated 07 May 2009
9
94th
"Insult her. If she's a tramp, she'll get cross. If she's a lady, she'll smile." Inspiring camerawork (working with offscreen space, trackings forward and sideways and often utilizing af tactic of 'showing through hiding'), consistently interesting dialogue and, of course, Anna Karina. As stated elsewhere: I could watch her face for hours on end.
Rated 07 May 2009
djrossdjross
Rated 21 Mar 2011
80
91st
On the relation between freedom and determination, life as a series of disconnected scenes or as a relentlessly inescapable fate, speech versus silence, life versus art, life versus death. More downbeat than some of Godard's livelier 1960s works, this is nevertheless a fascinating film with numerous remarkable aspects.
Rated 21 Mar 2011
alex_watkinsAlex Watkins
Rated 03 Jan 2010
5
91st
A beautiful portait of a wonderful character. Nana lives life at her own pace, and endures to the best of her abilities despite the hardships thrown her way - Anna Karina is a complete joy in the role, able to put a smile on your face at the drop of a hat. The film lives in the moment, giving fleeting impressions of Nana's life, but builds towards a tragic ending that really hits home. Short and bittersweet.
Rated 03 Jan 2010
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 14 Aug 2007
87
89th
When Anna Karina looks at the camera, she's not only looking at us, she's looking at her director. As Nana gets pimped out, so does Anna. The camera spies on her, looking for a way in, responding to her as a person would. She is at once available to us yet entirely distant. Almost every scene plays with this sort of layering and duality, in the camerawork, the dialogue and the soundtrack. Godard's intellectual ambitions get the best of him at times but not nearly as bad as his later work.
Rated 14 Aug 2007
nrooNroo
Rated 06 Mar 2014
65
31st
Don't ever show your characters watching a better film I'd rather be watching.
Rated 06 Mar 2014
purgatospurgatos
Rated 08 Aug 2010
82
76th
There are definitely things to like here. The camerawork is very good, Karina's performance is excellent and there are a few scenes that were a real treat to watch - thinking of the dance and the conversation with the older man in the café. However, I never felt like the story really flowed and as a result I found that it really rang hollow for me in the end.
Rated 08 Aug 2010
bownBown
Rated 23 Feb 2010
87
84th
Perhaps a little slow and dull on occasion (maybe it's the mood I'm in) but mostly very interesting. Karina is awesome, as always.
Rated 23 Feb 2010
roujinroujin
Rated 09 Apr 2008
60
55th
those shots of peoples backs always fucking piss me off.
Rated 09 Apr 2008
spikycactusSpikyCactus
Rated 27 Feb 2021
40
2nd
Top badass moment? Finding out that watching a film about a French heroine can turn you into a prostitute. So Jean-Luc Godard makes yet another film purely to nourish his fetish for showing off his attractive wife to everyone, by dressing pretentious and pompous twaddle up with 'oh so clever' dialogue, ‘ground-breaking’ style, ‘clever’ camera angles and way too many close ups of her head. Am I the only one who sees this film for what it really is? No cats, chainsaws or decapitations.
Rated 27 Feb 2021
nathan_sNathan S
Rated 30 Jul 2010
5
93rd
Undoubtedly self-referential, as in when the Young Man reads from "The Oval Portrait," in which the artist delights in a portrait of his wife without noticing she has wasted away. This is Godard's love letter to Karina, I think. It is sincere, tender, and sad.
Rated 30 Jul 2010
cclxndrcclxndr
Rated 19 Jun 2011
90
88th
Yet again, Godard succeeds where so many have failed - ideas with technique, feelings captured in physical form, always interesting dialogue. The viewer perceives a fleeting life at the pace of Nana - the always lovely Anna Karina. Short and bittersweet.
Rated 19 Jun 2011
heathers09Heather_S09
Rated 06 Apr 2007
82
79th
Who knew Jean-Luc Godard would go Roger Vadim on audiences? Nana's descent into prostitution. Anna's descent from her marriage. Visually stunning.
Rated 06 Apr 2007
le_mamile mami
Rated 04 Mar 2016
85
89th
High level romance is great for me.
Rated 04 Mar 2016
adiljunadiljun
Rated 05 Feb 2017
63
63rd
It's like a movie taken by a college student. You wouldn't shoot a good movie by adding counterfeit intellectual scenes to the movies. But it was enjoyable watching Anna Karina.
Rated 05 Feb 2017
feublofeublo
Rated 13 Jul 2019
80
57th
Godard puts together a quick, fragmented collection of life, descending to the inescapable fates of society and the philosophical detachment of living. Well written and has a handful of moments that are sneakily powerful.
Rated 13 Jul 2019
icarusIcarus
Rated 15 Aug 2010
96
97th
My favorite Godard. Among its standout scenes are Karina watching the Dreyer film, the conversation with the philosopher, and the entire concluding tableau. Karina's gradual descent in society mirrors her ascent to a more saintly figure, making the ending all the more beautiful and bittersweet. This also feels like Godard at his most controlled, or at least most focused. I think that brings a cohesiveness to this film which helps to deepen its overall impression.
Rated 15 Aug 2010
paulofilmopaulofilmo
Rated 25 Oct 2017
69
46th
Sorry, I just so far think Godard is a dork.
Rated 25 Oct 2017
matthew_parkinsonMatthew Parkinson
Rated 24 Dec 2012
100
99th
Vivre sa vie is my top New Wave film. Everything about it is perfect or near-perfect, and the way that it challenges the mind -- both by asking philosophical questions and playing with film form -- while also containing a compelling, engaging narrative is fabulous.
Rated 24 Dec 2012
joojooJooJoo
Rated 16 Jul 2010
4
55th
i think you philosophy dweebs just have it out in a big way for Anna Karina. just sayin'
Rated 16 Jul 2010
susie_mauvesusie-mauve
Rated 15 Jul 2012
99
99th
Maybe i am too generous, but i personally find this to be one of Godard`s masterpieces. Maybe his best macro on Woman. Perhaps his best saint-whore-slave-master parallel? Very controlled, very attentive to every mole and button and the most unforgettable photography. oui, plus fort.
Rated 15 Jul 2012
denizgdenizg
Rated 04 Dec 2014
70
38th
tekrar
Rated 04 Dec 2014
antitypeantitype
Rated 08 Aug 2010
92
94th
Just too beautiful & bittersweet.
Rated 08 Aug 2010
panzerwolfpanzerwolf
Rated 22 Dec 2022
68
50th
This movie sure is very French! With the scenes in cafeterias, sights of Paris, the philosophical conversations and long shots with just people's faces in them. Yep. It's got a very interesting story, though, but I felt like it lost steam somewhere past half of the movie, becoming a bit too saturated for me. Also, I don't always notice these things but the way the camera moves must be a trademark for the director, but it really felt weird to me.
Rated 22 Dec 2022
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 07 Feb 2008
79
57th
It's interesting to watch and Anna Karina is always engaging but the whole thing felt a little flat. Fleshing out the characters and their motivations a bit more would have done a lot to help drive the films point home.
Rated 07 Feb 2008
igormacheteigormachete
Rated 04 Sep 2016
83
77th
A bit pretentious, but there is so much to like in this movie I don't even care
Rated 04 Sep 2016
sebbysebby
Rated 23 Jul 2010
65
58th
Just a bit too much boring dialogue to overlook. I get the point of it, but that doesn't mean it worked for me. Great camerawork.
Rated 23 Jul 2010
wetwillieswetwillies
Rated 09 Aug 2011
100
98th
Perhaps Godard's best film, for reasons I can't really explain. It's a film that's full of unforgettable moments, by design and, even though I hadn't seen the film for a couple of years, the power of Nana crying while watching Joan of Arc, of Nana dancing in the bar, of Nana's fate at the end of the film - none of the ever left me. (two times)
Rated 09 Aug 2011
theyshoot07theyshoot07
Rated 01 Mar 2008
95
92nd
# 108
Rated 01 Mar 2008
nhanlaNhanLa
Rated 23 May 2017
50
23rd
my fifth Godard and he is just not doing it for me. So pretentious :(
Rated 23 May 2017
nepetaNepeta
Rated 18 Jan 2013
90
90th
The references to The Passion of Joan of Arc, both stylistic references and the inclusion of the film in the third scene which moves Nana to tears as she watches, as well as the chapter based structure add an inevitability to the proceedings showing that Nana, contrary to what she has convinced herself of, has no control over her situation.
Rated 18 Jan 2013
hotsakehotsake
Rated 09 Jun 2023
42
23rd
This movie is very French and very New Wave. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of French Cinema in general and French New Wave is at the top of my overrated list.
Rated 09 Jun 2023
yiannosYiannos
Rated 09 Aug 2016
60
48th
Vivre Sa Vie's appeal lies largely in one's response to Anna Karina, both as an actress and as an object of beauty, as well as one's tolerance for Godard's (often shallow and discursive) philosophical musings. There are some interesting ideas, but there is a tension between the highly formal nature of their presentation and the actual story itself, which is a rather standard character study that doesn't play to his strengths. Godard doesn't resolve this conflict, so the film never truly coheres.
Rated 09 Aug 2016
selcukburcakselcukburcak
Rated 10 Mar 2023
30
7th
benlik bir tarz hiç değil. sevdiğim sinemayla bunun hiçbir alakası yok. senaryosu kitaplaştırılıp okunsa filmi izlemeye gerek bile kalmaz. oysa ben kitap okumak değil film izlemek istiyorum. akılda kalıcı tek yanı soundtracki.
Rated 10 Mar 2023
cowmanCowman
Rated 29 Dec 2013
60
28th
My first and - probably last - Godard movie.
Rated 29 Dec 2013
maM_A
Rated 05 Apr 2011
90
96th
The philosophical discussion in the coffee shop is fantastic, and Anna Karina is gorgeous as always.
Rated 05 Apr 2011
derekstarDerekstar
Rated 07 Jul 2011
80
68th
I really enjoyed the visual style. If you're just shooting two people having a conversation at a cafe, yeah, why not see if camera movement can add some additional insight? Some people don't like that stuff, but I do. Listen, it's not Godard's most compelling film, but clearly a very personal one. Some scenes were utterly forgettable, but a few were kind of magical. Anna Karina dancing in the pool hall was magical, as was the philosophical discussion in the cafe.
Rated 07 Jul 2011
michaelm2391michaelm2391
Rated 02 May 2022
59
45th
boring lol
Rated 02 May 2022
rnestrnest
Rated 25 Nov 2019
8
93rd
Jag vill se om den.
Rated 25 Nov 2019
noam_razNoam Raz
Rated 11 Jan 2013
71
75th
A la Institute Francais!
Rated 11 Jan 2013
ceekay19Ceekay19
Rated 19 May 2019
70
53rd
Nana: "The more we talk, the less the words mean."
Rated 19 May 2019
yamilvidalYamilVidal
Rated 15 Jan 2023
87
79th
I like how the characters listen to each other, giving time to each other to talk before jumping in (not all, I know).
Rated 15 Jan 2023
theyshoot08theyshoot08
Rated 19 Dec 2008
94
88th
119
Rated 19 Dec 2008
darrenDarren
Rated 02 Sep 2018
80
76th
Not as good as it was when I was 17.
Rated 02 Sep 2018
friendo55friendo55
Rated 09 Aug 2012
88
79th
The first thing I thought of when I saw Anna Karina in this film was Uma Thurman's character Mia Wallace in Tarantino's Pulp Fiction. She is obviously gorgeous and Godard knows it as her face just fills the screen with many close-up shots - none better than the opening credits. Not too much going on in this one but very well done and fun to watch.
Rated 09 Aug 2012
qwershadyqwershady
Rated 17 May 2014
70
36th
i cant get godard .s he has a direction style in his every movie but i cant see story in them
Rated 17 May 2014
prowlerprowler
Rated 22 Jul 2010
90
94th
This film succeeds where so many other fail, in striking a balance between ideas/technique, and telling a good human story. It gets more and more engrossing with each episode, virtually everything just works so well.
Rated 22 Jul 2010
glm01glm01
Rated 18 Sep 2013
86
87th
86.000
Rated 18 Sep 2013
akatemossfanAKateMossFan
Rated 10 Jul 2021
1
8th
moraesfelipemoraesfelipe
Rated 23 Apr 2017
85
92nd
Godard's bleakest film. A woman's journey from dreams of becoming a movie star to prostitution. The dialogue with the old man about the meaning of life -- and the words and thoughts that define it -- is among the best moments in Godard's 60s. The ending -- Ana shot dead on the street -- just makes this a pure tale about life -- lying, speaking, loving, dying. Pure Godardian cinema in almost all aspects: jump cuts, characters shot from behind, playful relationship between audio and video tracks.
Rated 23 Apr 2017
iyisinekiyisinek
Rated 09 Jan 2012
75
67th
oyuncu olmak, borcunu ödeyememek, fuhus, fahise,
Rated 09 Jan 2012
nathanbatesNathanBates
Rated 31 Dec 2019
60
35th
I am continually baffled by Godard and his films. On one hand, I love the impressive camera tricks and the weird sense of story that somehow connects these vignettes. On the other hand, there are a lot of distractions that really seem to take away from the general plot. Also, this has perhaps the slowest get-away driver in film history.
Rated 31 Dec 2019
hulothulot
Rated 17 Jan 2012
80
81st
watched: 2012, 2013, 2021
Rated 17 Jan 2012
natebarriosnatebarrios
Rated 24 Feb 2023
75
75th
Godard's Persona
Rated 24 Feb 2023
schizotoastschizotoast
Rated 09 Sep 2011
50
22nd
Forever bored by this man.
Rated 09 Sep 2011
qvtQVT
Rated 26 Aug 2012
55
60th
I mean, I'm one of the biggest New Wave lovers out there. I'm gonna name my kid Vague. This one just didn't do it. Something about the juxtaposition of her beauty and her whoring was lacking. Man it's gorgeous and probably 15 of these points come from Anna either dancing or measuring herself. Hard to call someone the most beautiful movie star, but she's in the discussion.
Rated 26 Aug 2012
kasperlKasperL
Rated 16 Apr 2011
75
77th
Godard says fuck you to convention. His pretensions are forgivable but it seems that his, admittedly fascinating, stylistic choices aren't a fitting match with the material which might have benefited from a grittier, more conventional approach. The end scene was memorable.
Rated 16 Apr 2011
driscarpindriscarpin
Rated 03 Dec 2014
94
93rd
Todo cineasta deveria ter o direito de ter uma musa como Anna Karina.
Rated 03 Dec 2014
bob_thrillinbob thrillin
Rated 17 May 2013
84
71st
That coffeshop discussion is astounding, as is the camerawork and typical Godardian Brecht fetishism.
Rated 17 May 2013
pickpocketPickpocket
Rated 26 Sep 2009
9
93rd
This isn't the most stimulating or engaging of Godard's early work but still highly enjoyable and a great film. Anna Karina is always nice to watch and look at - the dancing scene was so cute. The abrupt ending was perfect. Also nice to see where so many filmmakers steal from.
Rated 26 Sep 2009
vauthVauth
Rated 22 Nov 2013
75
50th
Not my favourite from Godard, or maybe it's because I've watched enough from him to start seeing him repeat most of his ideas and cinematographic style over and over again in his films and it can get boring. However, the film did get much better in the second half, especially with scenes of Nana's prostitution and the coffee shop debate. Anna Karina is great so there you have it.
Rated 22 Nov 2013
deaddillydeaddilly
Rated 02 Mar 2016
80
72nd
While suffering from feeling fragmented/distant it benefits from being philosophically stimulating and having Anna Karina in it. I feel like I need to know more about Karina/Godard's marriage before I can really understand Vivre Sa Vie.
Rated 02 Mar 2016
parcalihamparcaliham
Rated 10 Nov 2012
100
99th
10 Kasim 2012, zevahir & Her sey gurursuzca kendine evrilirken bazen asik oluyoruz (ve Tanri ol dedi.) ya da bazı bahtsızlarimiz yedinci gune dair meraklari sayesinde var olmaya devam ediyor. Korkuyorum; zira klostrofobim var. Bu kadin, deneyim ile bulusmus tehlikeli bilincinden dolayı bana alan birakmiyor.
Rated 10 Nov 2012
mandymandy
Rated 13 Oct 2017
7
73rd
Original and stylish but it doesn't ring true for me.
Rated 13 Oct 2017
tj_monsterTJ monster
Rated 16 May 2022
73
75th
Some amazing shots, good soundtrack, nice cinematography
Rated 16 May 2022
glmglm
Rated 24 Apr 2012
87
85th
87.000
Rated 24 Apr 2012
vandelay1Vandelay1
Rated 27 Apr 2009
71
79th
Good Movie
Rated 27 Apr 2009
moribunnyMoribunny
Rated 20 Jul 2007
75
84th
Breathless was a bold stylistic and conceptual assertion, but content-wise did not feel fully articulated. My Life to Live retains the innovative ideas in form, but is more substantial than Godard's previous films. I studied philosophy and I really appreciate Godard's courageous inclusion of a completely real, unapologetic, hardcore philosophical discussion in a coffeeshop. Several of the key issues in 20th century philosophy are atleast touched upon during the course of this movie.
Rated 20 Jul 2007
justroryjustrory
Rated 12 Apr 2023
91
97th
A well-directed depiction of the tragedy and hardship of life. Nana stands for so many other women and represents an oxymoron of freedom and dependence.
Rated 12 Apr 2023
b_planB-Plan
Rated 02 Aug 2014
90
92nd
mutlu sonla biten filmleri severim.
Rated 02 Aug 2014
theyshoot10theyshoot10
Rated 13 Jan 2010
94
88th
125
Rated 13 Jan 2010
billyshearsBillyShears
Rated 22 Nov 2016
85
86th
My descent into enjoying French New Wave garbage from Godard. I think I saw a bosom. That might be the key to getting me on board your cinema train. Don't you tut at me for I am of the Roger Ebert school of film criticism. We are a proud titillated people.
Rated 22 Nov 2016
egbertsouseEgbertSouse
Rated 16 Dec 2008
75
41st
Such a life-affirming feel good movie.
Rated 16 Dec 2008
willofgaiawillofgaia
Rated 12 Dec 2007
85
58th
Godard reins himself in but is still problematic.
Rated 12 Dec 2007
shockularSHOCKULAR
Rated 12 Jun 2022
66
32nd
Framed in twelve short chapters, the film depicts a woman becoming a prostitute. It was just okay for me. It's well done, but the last couple of chapters are aggressively French, with the 11th chapter consisting entirely of the protagonist having a deep philosophical discussion with a stranger she meets at a restaurant.
Rated 12 Jun 2022
shewasSheWas
Rated 17 Jan 2020
89
93rd
2020: J'adore, but I hate watching it :/ Much better as a conceptual art piece than a movie 2021: Now I get it
Rated 17 Jan 2020
bolivarbolivar
Rated 05 Jan 2012
85
96th
Gorgeous cinematography and some great dialogues. Minus for the ending and weird use of soundtrack.
Rated 05 Jan 2012
thereeldealthereeldeal
Rated 20 Feb 2015
60
27th
Perhaps it's strange the most shocking thing to me in Vivre Sa Vie is its fair treatment of prostitution as a profession. I expected something more heavy-handed. Still, I'm increasingly turned off by movies centered around these gorgeous but oh, terribly troubled elegant women gazing around "deeply" who will have involved philosophical discussions with complete strangers. I'm beginning to believe in tragedy as fetishization. Fans of stuff like this are usually arty lonely dorks. Like me?
Rated 20 Feb 2015
theyshoot11theyshoot11
Rated 30 Nov 2011
93
86th
#133
Rated 30 Nov 2011
three-questions_ii???
Rated 18 Dec 2012
23
14th
Lives the score to it's fullest.
Rated 18 Dec 2012
atgizaAtGiza
Rated 31 Mar 2011
68
66th
I liked a lot in this... but felt I only really half understood it.
Rated 31 Mar 2011
armonicaArmonica
Rated 10 Apr 2021
90
91st
11.part..
Rated 10 Apr 2021
boxcarsBoxcars
Rated 30 Jun 2015
9
89th
In 'Vivre Sa Vie', Godard uses the camera to paint a portrait of the film's protagonist, Nana, commendably brought to life with all of her nuances by Karina; it's fleeting and controlled--distant yet inviting.
Rated 30 Jun 2015
daxvDaxV
Rated 16 Jul 2018
40
24th
I must be missing something here, this is the 3rd Godard movie I've seen and each one has suffered from the same problem of having interesting concepts, themes and characters but no depth to much of it. I'm able to excuse that in other cases because the other 2 films were far more enjoyable for their own reasons and while at times this caught my interest and kept me modestly invested I can't help but feel as if a lot of things in this are short sighted. Pretty disappointing to me.
Rated 16 Jul 2018

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