Nouvelle Vague (2025)
Directed by: Richard Linklater
Premise: A dramatization of Jean-Luc Godard (Guillaume Marbeck) making the 1960s French film Breathless (aka À bout de souffle). Godard’s improvisational shooting style frustrates his cast and crew.
What Works: Nouvelle Vague was directed by Richard Linklater and he is a fitting director for this project. Linklater’s early films Slacker, Dazed and Confused, and Before Sunrise echo the influence and ethos of the French New Wave movement. These European films were made by intellectual artisans who had strong ideological beliefs about cinema. Their pictures were typically shot on the cheap, focused on intimate subjects, rejected conventional narrative, and used avant-garde techniques. Breathless was the signature film of the French New Wave movement and Nouvelle Vague is a tribute piece to that era of filmmaking and what it represented. This dramatization of the making of Breathless is consistent with the look and feel of those French films. It was shot in black and white on 35mm film with a naturalistic style. The imagery includes visual defects typical of analog movies. There is a tendency in behind-the-scenes dramas to stage pivotal moments in a corny and overly dramatic way. Nouvelle Vague goes completely the other way. The moviemakers allow Godard and others to spout their platitudes about art and cinema. They come off pretentious and we’re left with the impression that the filmmakers of Nouvelle Vague understand this; the movie is kind of funny that way. This is illustrated in Nouvelle Vague by Jean Seberg, the American actress played by Zoey Deutch. As depicted in the film, Seberg was frustrated by the improvisational shooting style and saw through Godard’s pretensions. Deutch is terrific in the role.
What Doesn’t: Nouvelle Vague can be appreciated on its own terms as a portrait of a filmmaker and a production but Nouvelle Vague is really made by and for cinephiles. Viewers who have seen Breathless and recognize names like Jean-Luc Godard, Jean Seberg, François Truffaut, and Éric Rohmer will get the most out of Nouvelle Vague. As a portrait of the making of Breathless, the film mostly focuses on the twenty-three day shoot and the relationship between Jean-Luc Godard and producer Georges de Beauregard and actress Jean Seberg. The film’s post production is covered in just a couple of scenes which is odd since the editing of Breathless is its most remarked upon quality. The initial reception of Breathless was mixed but this is also glossed over.
Disc extras: Available on Netflix.
Bottom Line: Nouvelle Vague is an affectionate tribute to the French New Wave movement. Its appeal is probably going to be narrow. For viewers unfamiliar with French New Wave cinema, Nouvelle Vague is best viewed as part of a double feature with Breathless.
Episode: #1080 (December 28, 2025)