This is an austere flick,devoid of embellishment which never tries to please you,audience.As an user wrote, a drop out remains a drop out,though the movie is ,in a certain way,circular ,and its ending is "back to square one" The hero's name (or nickname?) is "Esse" which means "hook",these hooks used by butchers. Comparing him to Jean -Pierre Léaud is an insult because Nicolas Devauchelles has nothing of Truffaut's protégé's affectation and mannerism (when dubbed in English,Léaud is certainly more palatable).He is more bressonesque ,as an user has already pointed out.The director's film is made of small sequences ,without any dramatization.Even the final attack refuses the show ,even if you will probably have to look away.These vignettes involve prostitution,thefts,boxing and even helping old ladies.The running time is probably the shortest of all contemporary French works :65 min.
There are French people who are not romantic ,you know.
There are French people who are not romantic ,you know.