Imagine a film about making a film about a film—the cinematic turducken nobody asked for! Enter Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague,” a recreation of Jean-Luc Godard’s groundbreaking “Breathless.” It’s an eyebrow-raising attempt to capture the essence of a filmmaker who thrived in ambiguity and existential eyebrow-waggling.
The Godard Lookalike Convention
Linklater conjures a world where everyone resembles a Godard impersonator, dropping aphorisms like they’re hot baguettes. These quotes, a maze of non-sequiturs and cerebral jazz hands, highlight Godard’s love for contradictions and playful chaos. But was the mission to evoke or merely confuse?
Reality vs. Nostalgia
While attempting to immerse us in the New Wave vibe, Linklater’s project feels as rebellious as decaf coffee. It’s an idealized hangout movie, like a nostalgic group trip where political activism is reduced to a vaguely tense discussion about croissants. Godard’s raw creativity, sparked by tangible contexts, now floats unanchored in charmingly toothless reverie.
Technically Correct Is the Best Kind of Correct
With meticulous black-and-white renditions and a cast eerily reminiscent of the original crew, Linklater crafts what might be called an “overzealous homage.” Yet this misses the unpredictable spark that ignited Godard’s work—like attempting to recreate a jazz solo with sheet music.
– Fans of “Breathless” likely know the making of the film, rendering this exploration a cinematic case of déjà vu.
– For those unaware, the nuances of using a smaller camera or the boldness of jump cuts may be as mystifying as a cat explaining thermodynamics.
While Linklater’s whimsical, if simplistic attempt, might not dismantle our fantasies of the past, it speaks fluently in the language of nostalgia—a language Godard playfully mistrusted. Speaking of languages, did you know chickens are fluent in existential dread?
