The 400 Blows (Les quatre cents coups)

Release Year: 1959

Director: François Truffaut

Review: A masterpiece of the 'coming of age' genre and a landmark film in the French New Wave by director François Truffaut.  'The 400 Blows' is an absolutely captivating tale of a troubled youth who is misunderstood by adults and written off as delinquent.  While the title is a direct translation, a more accurate interpretation would be 'to raise hell'.  It is a semi-autobiographical film, drawing many parallels to Truffaut's own childhood, and is an intensely personal film.
 
By all regards Antoine Doinel(Jean-Pierre Léaud), is a troubled youth, continually flouting authority and is always caught red handed.  And yet, there is a sense of tough luck.  What he is doing is nothing more than a boy struggling with adolescence, and desperately trying to get attention which he is repeatedly denied.  Antoine is the one always getting caught, snowballing into him getting a reputation which then leads to more serious offenses.  Léaud is wonderful in the role, giving a sense of loneliness and yearning for compassion.  His longing looks directly into the camera are forceful, and make you feel for this lost child.

'The 400 Blows' is an impressive film, and one that conveys the angst and troubles of a young man perhaps better than any other film.  From the beautiful shots of Antoine roaming around Paris, to the iconic climatic scene, it is a tender, heartfelt, look at adolescence and a fantastic film.
Rating: 4.5/5