Wednesday, February 17, 2010

#243 - Les quatre cents coups (The 400 Blows)

Breakdown: The 400 Blows (1959, France). Written and directed by François Truffaut. Starring Jean-Pierre Léaud.

Synopsis:
An intensely touching story of a misunderstood young adolescent who leaves home without attention and delves into a life of petty crime.

Review: So, say it's a Saturday night and you and your buddies want to get together to watch a movie. You know, just a lighthearted, fun, enjoyable movie. So you go to the movie store and all the movies in the entire store are gone. All of them. Except this...and Toy Story 2. Here's why you pick Toy Story 2:

A semi-autobiographical work, The 400 Blows takes a darker look into a brief window of writer/director Fançois Truffaut's adolescence. This film shows just how easily parents' neglect and lack of support can lead to psychological and emotional torment for their children. It's a tough pill to swallow, but the movie's message is clear and valuable, thanks in part to a stellar performance from then 14-year-old Jean-Pierre Léaud.

Favorite Quote: "Every time I cried, my father would imitate me on his fiddle, just to drive me nuts. One day I got fed up and I knocked him out."


Rating:

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