Before Jean-Luc Godard became one of the prominent filmmakers of the French New Wave, he was a prolific film critic for Cahiers du Cinéma.
The publication featured critics-turned-movie directors in France, most of whom shared their critical takes on each other’s works.
There’s a delicate atmosphere in Richard Linklater’s “Nouvelle Vague”. For a film about one of French cinema’s greatest daredevils, Linklater’s creative approach is more akin to a Wes Anderson movie than a rebellious joint.
“Nouvelle Vague”, which directly translates to New Wave and is not to be confused with the real-life Godard’s 1990 film of the same name, follows the creation of the director’s debut feature “Breathless”.
Making “Breathless” was an exhaustive production. Pre-production took a toll on Godard’s anxiety to level with his peers, and to prove naysayers that the critic can be an artist. Filming it was another beast entirely. Godard would shoot guerrilla style and consume production resources by stalling it when he wanted to, which led to a physical fight with his producer/ financier.
Richard Linklater has taken a safer and uneven approach to tell this story. While it’s certain that we were left with an impression that Godard is hard to work with, they could’ve fleshed out the part where we see “Breathless” turned out for the better. I would love an extended sequence of how that film was edited, as I feel “Breathless” became what it is due to the chaotic nature of its editing.
“Nouvelle Vague” is entertaining, and while I think it’s a film intended for cinephiles, there’s something tender and delicate for the general audience to ponder on.
“Nouvelle Vague” is showing in New Zealand cinemas starting 22 January 2026.
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