Chelsea Alexandra
The French New Wave changed movies forever. In the late ’50s and ’60s, filmmakers like Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut, and Agnès Varda threw out the rulebook that was cinema and began shooting on the streets, using real light, improvising dialogue, and making films that felt alive. That DIY, experimental spirit paved the way for independent filmmaking worldwide, encouraging directors to take creative risks and focus on personal vision. The New Wave proved that cinema could be free, expressive, and constantly evolving. The New Wave made it cool to take risks and remind everyone that film can be more than just entertainment; it can be pure art.
Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague is a breezy yet meticulous retelling of the making of Breathless, a film that, in 1960, redefined what movies could be. Nouvelle Vague is a celebration of cinema and the spirit of the French New Wave, while also serving as a meta-commentary on the act of artistic rebellion. Linklater, whose own career has long been influenced by that movement, embodies its legacy in an American context. His focus on character-driven storytelling, naturalistic dialogue, and real-time structure feels like a continuation of what the French New Wave began. From Slacker to Before Sunrise and all the way through Boyhood, you can feel the French New Wave’s fingerprints all over Linklater’s work. The loose, wandering structure, the fascination with time passing, all echo that earlier movement’s belief that cinema could observe life.
Nouvelle Vague opens in 1959 Paris, where a young Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) is still a critic dreaming of being taken seriously as a filmmaker. He’s brash, awkward, and compulsively intellectual. He constantly quotes ridiculous philosophy between the drags of a cigarette and makes filmmaking look like an act of both genius and chaos. Godard convinces producer Georges de Beauregard (Bruno Dreyfürst) to fund a script by his friend François Truffaut. Soon, he’s on set with American actress Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch) and an unknown amateur boxer, Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin), shooting the scrappy film that would become Breathless.
Marbeck nails the strange duality of Godard. He’s both the most confident, intellectual who seems to own every room he walks into, and the most insecure man in the room, the jittery perfectionist terrified that he’s in over his head. He speaks like a man convinced he’s changing cinema, yet his eyes give away the fear that he might be a fraud. It’s a performance that understands genius as equal parts arrogance and anxiety.
Deutch delivers one of her most mature performances to date, channeling the intelligence and independence of the women who defined the French New Wave. Her character becomes a mirror to Godard. the woman who sees through the posturing and still believes in the power of the work. It’s a tricky balance, but Deutch pulls it off with charm and restraint, offering a counterpoint to the film’s headier moments.
Linklater clearly loves the era he’s portraying. Nouvelle Vague is both a celebration of and a playful homage to the French New Wave. The film perfectly captures the chaos, charm, and caffeine-fueled intensity of 1959 Paris. Watching the cast and crew navigate his whims underscores both the difficulty and the joy of creation. One of the most striking things about Nouvelle Vague is its meticulous attention to detail. Linklater and cinematographer David Chambille recreate 1959 Paris with incredible care, from the smoky cafés and narrow streets to the exact look of the Éclair Caméflex 35mm camera used on the original Breathless. The set dressing all feels lived-in rather than staged, helping the film feel like a real slice of cinematic history. These details give the audience a sense of being there, not just watching, and make the chaos of Godard’s filmmaking exhilarating.
Nouvelle Vague demonstrates why the French New Wave still matters; by rejecting convention and championing spontaneity and personal vision, it redefined what cinema could be. Linklater echoes this approach, showing vitality and creativity remain at filmmaking’s core.
For all its charm and energy, Nouvelle Vague does tend to play it safe. Breathless shook the film world, but this retelling sticks to familiar territory, making it feel a bit more careful than daring. The tension is muted by the audience’s prior knowledge, and the film rarely takes narrative risks of its own. Safe or not, it’s still a lot of fun to watch. The energy is contagious, the performances are magnetic, and the film succeeds in evoking the joy of creating something new.
However, for cinephiles who are just learning about the French New Wave, Nouvelle Vague works as a lively, entertaining introduction. It doesn’t overwhelm you with dates, theory, or film jargon. They’ll get a sense of the collaborative energy behind films like Breathless, how actors, writers, and producers all contributed to something revolutionary. Viewers new to the New Wave will understand why it’s still inspiring filmmakers today. Nouvelle Vague isn’t as revolutionary as Breathless, but it doesn’t need to be. It’s a stylish and affectionate tribute to a pivotal period in cinema, anchored by two strong central performances.
