Good movie, but hardly brilliant or a classic.
A boy, Antoine Doinel, is often in trouble at school and doesn't get along with his parents, especially his mother. He briefly runs away from home but then returns (or is returned...). After a while he ups the ante and turns to petty crime...
Interesting drama. It also has its lighter side. There are many moments of comedy - the scene with the gym teacher taking the class for a walk was priceless!
However, hardly the classic this is made out to be. Directed by Francois Truffaut, this is regarded as being the vanguard of the French New Wave movement. But it really isn't THAT good. It is hardly profound - the plot is a few weeks/months in the life of a early/mid-teens boy. There is no big realisation at the end, or plot closure.
Even as a character-based film it is not fantastic. Yes, you feel some empathy for and engagement towards the boy but he is more villain than hero. (The adults are hardly saints either, I might add).
Worth watching though, as it is a reasonable story, and to see what all the fuss is about...
