The 400 Blows

1959 · 99 min · FR · NR · 8.0 (2,410 votes)

Dir. François Truffaut · Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud, Claire Maurier, Albert Rémy, Georges Flamant, Patrick Auffay, Robert Beauvais · Music Jean Constantin · The Adventures of Antoine Doinel Collection

“Angel faces hell-bent for violence.”

Drama

For young Parisian boy Antoine Doinel, life is one difficult situation after another. Surrounded by inconsiderate adults, including his neglectful parents, Antoine spends his days with his best friend, Rene, trying to plan for a better life. When one of their schemes goes awry, Antoine ends up in trouble with the law, leading to even more conflicts with unsympathetic authority figures.

VIBE

A deeply empathetic, bittersweet journey through a child's restless spirit. It feels like a melancholic poem, observing the raw edges of youth, rebellion, and the quiet ache of misunderstanding against a beautifully rendered, stark Parisian backdrop.

melancholicpoignantrestlessempatheticbittersweetsteadyFrench New Waveblack-and-white cinematographyobservational realismcoming-of-agealienationrebellionparental neglect

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