NOUVELLE VAGUE is director Richard Linkletter’s homage to the New Wave cinema technique, which was very popular in France during the late 1950s. The Wave promoted a movement that challenged conventional norms in filmmaking. It changed how movies were made, putting aside overworked narratives in place of more improvised dialogue and locations. It aimed to give directors complete control over their existential storytelling.Â
This is Linkletter’s (WAKING LIFE, BOYHOOD) first full-length film, totally spoken in French. Netflix obtained the rights to NOUVELLE VAGUE for $4 million. The film depicts the behind-the-scenes creation of the smash hit BREATHLESS, directed by the great cinema giant Jean-Luc Godard, portrayed by Guillaume Marbeck. It was watching an interpretation of a film within a film, and all in black and white. The cinematography immersed audiences in 1959. It was precisely what might be imagined Paris looked like, and how everyone dressed. 2025 disappeared. It was spectacular filmmaking.Â
Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch) and Jean-Paul (Aubrey Dullin) took on the leading roles with style, charisma, spunk, chemistry, and class. It was difficult at times to draw the line between who they were and when they were acting in their famous roles. Everything was continually connected and rolled from one moment to the next. Sometimes it was mesmerizing. The rhythm and tone were always clear and present but never felt obtrusive. I felt like I was the camera, sneaking peeks at something I shouldn’t be watching.Â
NOUVELLE VAGUE was seamless. It gave a new understanding of how a film could be created. Goddard believed in the magic of the moment that would even fool the magician himself. Linkletter was totally in control of guiding his entertaining tribute to one of the all-time greats.
It is playing in select theaters and on Netflix.Â
