Breathless

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Breathless

Released Feb 7, 1961

1h 30m

Crime

Drama

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Popcornmeter

95%

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81 Reviews

90%

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25,000+ Ratings

Petty thug Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) considers himself a suave bad guy in the manner of Humphrey Bogart, but panics and impulsively kills a policeman while driving a stolen car. On the lam, he turns to his aspiring journalist girlfriend, Patricia (Jean Seberg), hiding out in her Paris apartment while he tries to pull together enough money to get the pair to Italy. But when Patricia learns that her boyfriend is being investigated for murder, she begins to question her loyalties.

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Critics Consensus

Breathless rewrote the rules of cinema -- and more than 50 years after its arrival, Jean-Luc Godard's paradigm-shifting classic remains every bit as vital.

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Oliver Stone

Village Voice

Nine years ago, I fell in love with Breathless. Time has aged her since, but poems of chaos, having little structure, are gloriously free from decay.

May 2, 2024

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Roger Angell

The New Yorker

The camera in Breathless, which was wielded by Raoul Coutard, is jumpy, fluid, irritable, and comic -- alive with glimpses, sudden turns, rude stares, and angry changes of mood.

Jan 22, 2024

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Archer Winsten

New York Post

It is a thin story, filled to the brim with extraordinary character of the modem, wild, criminal youth, as exemplified by Belmondo.

Aug 11, 2022

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JD Duran

InSession Film

The cold demeanor of Breathless isn’t very effective and as a result, it feels conceited and in a word; fake.

Rated: B-

Aug 19, 2024

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David Harris

Spectrum Culture

In an era before social media, Breathless presages the hyper-narcissistic age we embody where everyone with a phone and an Instagram account can create and curate whatever type of existence they choose.

Feb 27, 2024

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Penelope Gilliatt

Observer (UK)

Breathless seems to me the most original, insolently gifted and shattering work the young French directors have, yet produced.

Jan 22, 2024

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Insomniac X

Giddily nihilistic snapshot of an ill-fated love affair. Godard's use of unconventional techniques hints at his protagonist's rejection of traditional morality. The film's prolonged bedroom scene is fascinating for its naturalism and its solipsistic portrayal of modern intimacy -- it's unclear whether the lovers feel anything for each other, or if we should either.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

04/30/25

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Vítor Pimentel de Oliveira V

Despite being one of the most focused and linear works by Godard (especially in comparison with Pierrot le Fou), the confused storytelling and dated stylistic choices leaves the viewers wanting.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

03/14/25

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BowTangey M

It may be significant in the history of cinema, but to me it was dated, pretentious, and dull.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

01/03/25

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Marit Risto F

What a waste of lifetime. I thought Goddard was cool, but this is just a childish play with guns, money, and random sex. One star for the 2CV, and other French "things". But such a pity they don't enjoy the fabulous resources of their country.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

12/13/24

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Merick H

I don't understand the reverence for this at all. It is terribly boring; the dialogue is uninteresting and shallow, just like the characters; the cinematography is dull and uninspiring; who cares about the jump-cuts that this film was supposed to famous for innovating; and the narrative itself is terrible. I can't imagine anyone going into this film--without any expectations, or previous knowledge of who made it or the esteem with which is is held--actually finding it to be an enjoyable experience, or enlightening whatsoever. It stinks.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

11/26/24

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Luca D

Maybe slightly overrated. Many french films from this period lack message and direction and this film falls victim of that. They sort of play out like a live poetry readings with intermittent dialogue about day to day life. They do have nice cinematography and acting, but the characters in these movies lack depth (especially in their romances) some characters will contemplate whether or not they love each other, and then one (usually the man) will get in trouble or die. Not that it's a bad movie it just falls into the trope. Otherwise, the soundtrack, acting, and cinematography is all great.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

06/03/24

Full Review

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Jean-Luc Godard

Director

Jean-Paul Belmondo

Michel Poiccard alias Laszlo Kovacs

Jean Seberg

Patricia Franchini

Daniel Boulanger

Police Inspector

Jean-Pierre Melville

Parvulesco

Henri-Jacques Huet

Antonio Berrutti

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Synopsis

Petty thug Michel (Jean-Paul Belmondo) considers himself a suave bad guy in the manner of Humphrey Bogart, but panics and impulsively kills a policeman while driving a stolen car. On the lam, he turns to his aspiring journalist girlfriend, Patricia (Jean Seberg), hiding out in her Paris apartment while he tries to pull together enough money to get the pair to Italy. But when Patricia learns that her boyfriend is being investigated for murder, she begins to question her loyalties.

Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Producer: Georges de Beauregard
Screenwriter: Jean-Luc Godard, François Truffaut
Production Co: Imperia, Les Films Georges de Beauregard
Genre: Crime, Drama
Original Language: French (France)
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 7, 1961, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Nov 29, 2011
Box Office (Gross USA): $47.1K
Runtime: 1h 30m

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