MovieChat Forums > TBS (2008) Discussion > A bout de souffle

A bout de souffle

posted 16 years ago by MWeghorst
8 replies | jump to latest

While watching TBS I noticed that the film had some similarities with Godard's À bout de souffle / Breathless:

- The jump cuts are very simlar obviously.
- I think that also the structure of both films is kinda similar. The films start with showing a rough and bad male main character. Then a girl is introduced and this girl will eventually start to like the (we know he is) bad guy.
- In both movies we feel, at least at some point, a little for the guy (although we know he is bad)
- Although the following is much more done by Godard: we see conversations that don't really have to do much with the actual plot, but just learn us more about the characters and their relationship.
- Both male main characters try to get on the phone with someone who can help then in some way (money or innocence)
- Although the ending is not very similar, both male characters do actually get arrested
- And one final detail: in both movies several cars are robbed. And the thing is that the girls do know the cars are robbed, but are still impressed!

I know there are also a lot of differences and that it could be just me or a coincidence. But do you think that it might be some sort of hommage to Godard?

PS) I am not comparing the quality of both films by the way, À bout de souffle was way better ;-).

[–] surfin_bird 16 years ago

I was thinking the same when I was watching TBS, mainly because of the jump cuts. I didn't go as far in comparing them like you did.

TBS seemed to have a very straightforward, Hollywood-like story, one we've all seen so many times. It borrows from many films, I think.

[–] monique-ponsen 16 years ago

The film reminded me also of "A perfect world" with Kevin Costner: bad man for who we can feel sympathie kidnaps a kid en a special kind of friendship evolves. Although the end of both movies are quite opposite.

[–] s0s 13 years ago

SPOILERS

I was thinking about A Bout De Souffle too, but only because of the jumpcuts. The screenplay was modelled after the typical hollywood screenplay - except for the very down ending, which I felt was out of place. The film could have said the same thing if the girl would have lived, and it wouldn't have left me with such an empty, gutted feeling.

I don't mind down endings at all, only if they are unnecessary.

[–] bogwart-1 13 years ago

Completely disagree with your comment about the ending. Some kind of Hollywood schmaltz would have destroyed the whole integrity of the film, and contradicted the whole point of the ambivalence of Johan's character.

As to you and the rest and the jumpcuts, so what? It's hardly a thing which is going to make anyone connect the two films.

You're left with an empty, gutted feeling? Tuff tit. Oh, and the Easter Bunny isn't real, either.

[–] jeff5102 12 years ago

Nor is the movie, so why should I watch it?

[–] bogwart-1 12 years ago

Indeed. Don't watch it, then.

[–] artemusjones 11 years ago

I agree with you, s0s. The ending was unneccesarily morbid, and brought it down in a gratuitous and in fact amateurish way. There was a perfect opportunity for an ambivalent ending, but the director chose the easy way out (just as a happy ending would have been an easy way out).

[–] frans-17 9 years ago

I see your point but I disagree. The ending shows Johans problem. He can't help himself, he kills his victims even though he doesn't want to.