Nouvelle Vague
It’s fitting that a film about the birth of cinematic cool should look this good. Nouvelle Vague is Richard Linklater’s playful, monochrome homage to the making of À Bout de Souffle — a fictionalised film-within-a-film that captures the chaos and charm of creation without losing its composure. Shot in luminous black and white, complete with French credits and cheeky cue marks, it feels like cinema talking to itself, lovingly and a little slyly.
Linklater doesn’t imitate Godard’s jump cuts or his bite, but channels something gentler — closer to Truffaut’s warmth and curiosity. The film isn’t a revolution, it’s a reflection: a portrait of art made by people still half in love with the idea of art itself.
Zoey Deutch brings a poised, quietly radiant Jean Seberg to life, surrounded by a lively cast of newcomers who make the period sing. Many, you sense, will go far. At the Q&A I attended, Linklater revealed he rehearsed in English before filming in French — a clever twist that gives the performances a relaxed rhythm. It’s not Breathless redux, but a graceful echo — a film that loves the process as much as the product.
Linklater doesn’t imitate Godard’s jump cuts or his bite, but channels something gentler — closer to Truffaut’s warmth and curiosity. The film isn’t a revolution, it’s a reflection: a portrait of art made by people still half in love with the idea of art itself.
Zoey Deutch brings a poised, quietly radiant Jean Seberg to life, surrounded by a lively cast of newcomers who make the period sing. Many, you sense, will go far. At the Q&A I attended, Linklater revealed he rehearsed in English before filming in French — a clever twist that gives the performances a relaxed rhythm. It’s not Breathless redux, but a graceful echo — a film that loves the process as much as the product.
Mini Review: Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague is a playful, monochrome take on the making of Breathless — a film about filmmaking that feels both sly and sincere. Zoey Deutch shines as Jean Seberg, surrounded by fresh talent who bring real spark. Rehearsed in English, shot in French, it’s a graceful echo of Godard and Truffaut — a love letter to cinema itself
More Reviews of Nouvelle Vague
glumpy_99
Thoroughly enjoyed this as Linklater’s tribute to Godard, two film-maker’s I would not necessarily leap to pair together; Linklater gets the look, feel and texture of Godard’s a...
ccslicker
This film is a parlor trick. These actors sure look like those other actors from the other movie we could be watching instead!
It's a well-made and visually pleasing...
It's a well-made and visually pleasing...
moraesfelipe
Guess it works way better than expected as another Linklater hangout flick 'disguised' -- not so much, really -- as a period piece that happens to be about the making of a landm...
See all 4 reviews of Nouvelle Vague
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