The Surveyors

It is rather the mistake of the writer than the film's author that, similarly to his first film "La lune avec les dents," I cannot free myself from film science parallels, which easily degenerate into empty categorization. But even in this film, you will again feel the atmosphere of the French New Wave directors, which is even more significant because the film relies on atmosphere rather than plot: surveyors delineating the future highway site are a great metaphor for a film that stands on the immobility of space, as opposed to the movement (non-existent cars) of the story, as they move more through the emotions and feelings of the characters and the viewer, as opposed to the story and camera movement. The camera itself and the overall slightly sentimental and humorous tone, as well as the overall impression from the first camera shots, recall Truffaut's nostalgia for silent films of the past, and it is not irrelevant to mention the involvement of Marie Dubois in this Truffaut context. However, this film reminds me of not only Truffaut and his Jules and Jim but also another French bard, especially J. Rivette because the enchanting duo of the main protagonists more than reminds me, avant la lettre, of Rivette's Celine and Julie Go Boating. (17/07/2018)