Richard Linklater’s Nouvelle Vague is a film that really caught me off guard. It’s already released in France over the last month and recently arrived in the States in limited release. Netflix was kind enough to send me an early screener ahead of its streaming debut on November 14, and I was really curious about this one going in.
The film takes place in France and is mostly spoken in French with some English sprinkled in. It’s a biopic about a film critic turned filmmaker who helped shape the French New Wave movement of the 1960s. The title itself translates to “New Wave,” and it focuses on director Jean-Luc Godard as he works on Breathless, a movie that changed the way people thought about cinema.
Full transparency: I’ve never seen Breathless, but I’ve always known of it. It’s one of those movies that gets talked about so often among film fans that you feel like you’ve seen it even if you haven’t. Watching Nouvelle Vague without that background was an interesting experience. I could tell this was a film that would resonate more deeply with cinephiles who already know and love that era of filmmaking, but even without that context, I found a lot to appreciate.
The movie follows Godard through the creative process of making Breathless—his clashes with actors and producers, his stubbornness, and the tension that comes with trying to make something that doesn’t follow the rules. It’s shot in black and white and framed in an old-school aspect ratio that immediately puts you in the mindset of a 1960s film. Everything about it, from the camera movements to the pacing and dialogue, feels intentionally of that era.
That’s one of the things I found most impressive about it. Linklater has made so many different kinds of films over his career, and this one feels unlike anything else he’s done. It’s made to look and sound like a movie from the 1960s, and he absolutely nails it. The way the camera lingers on faces, the way characters talk, the use of film grain—it all feels authentic. There’s a real commitment to recreating the time period in every detail, whether it’s the cars, the costumes, or the set design.
As someone who loves movies about filmmaking, I was really drawn in by the behind-the-scenes nature of this story. There’s something fascinating about watching a film that’s about the creation of another film, especially one that would go on to have such a lasting impact. It feels like being a fly on the wall during a key moment in movie history.
That said, I wouldn’t say Nouvelle Vague is the most entertaining film I’ve seen this year. It’s slow, and it meanders quite a bit, which I think is intentional. It’s not a conventional story that builds momentum or focuses on dramatic beats—it’s more a series of moments that capture what it was like to make Breathless. For that reason, there were times where I did find myself feeling a bit bored. But even in those slower stretches, I was still impressed by how well the film achieves what it sets out to do.
It’s not a movie that’s going to connect with general audiences. I think some people will start it on Netflix and turn it off within twenty minutes, especially if they’re unfamiliar with the history behind it. But for film fans, this is an easy recommendation. It’s beautifully crafted, it captures an important moment in film history, and it shows Linklater once again pushing himself creatively.
In the end, I can say I appreciated Nouvelle Vague more than I outright loved it. It’s a film that’s slow, patient, and extremely well made. I may not rush to rewatch it anytime soon, but I respect the hell out of what it accomplishes. It even made me want to finally go back and watch Breathless, which probably says more than anything else about how well it works as a love letter to filmmaking.
Rating: 7/10