*Nouvelle Vague* (2025) is Richard Linklater’s fictionalised account of a young filmmaker’s journey, co-written with Truffaut and inspired by the French New Wave era. The film adopts a stylistic approach that mirrors the improvisational energy of the movement, employing jump cuts, naturalistic dialogue, and a playful disregard for convention. For cinephiles, this is a rewarding experience—one that evokes the creative spirit of the time without purporting to depict real events.
The film’s strength lies in its visual craft, from the grainy, handheld cinematography to the meticulous recreation of 1960s Paris. The production design and editing effectively capture the frenetic pace of the New Wave, while Guillaume Marbeck’s portrayal of the young filmmaker stands out, though the ensemble remains somewhat restrained. The characters occasionally feel more like historical archetypes than fully realised individuals.
Where *Nouvelle Vague* falls short is in its storytelling. The premise is straightforward—following a filmmaker’s creative process—but the execution prioritises style over narrative depth. The dialogue, while sharp and often witty, can feel more like an exercise in homage than a deeply engaging story.
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