Pickpocket
The place is a jockey club full of wealthy people watching a horse race; the camera closes up in a thin ill-looking man who is about to quietly steal money from a lady’s purse. That’s how the film Pickpocket, by Robert Bresson, begins: with a tension felt by the main character, who shares his most subtle emotions with the spectator from the beginning until the end of the movie (what makes it even more unique).
Far away from the wafer-thin plot films, Pickpocket is filled with strong scenes, which show us the depth of human relations and how can people deal with their own life problems. With an existentialist plot and a unique way of filming, Robert Bresson takes the spectator through a strange story, full of new situations and the redemption of almost all those involved in it. On the other hand, however, he shows us that nothing is what it looks like and that people always have something to hide from society.
Everything could be said about Pickpocket, except that it is a far-fetched movie. Although its story seems to be similar to others, there is no place for corny scenes or mediocre characters in the film. And it is not pretentious at all - it is filmed in an atmospheric way, with the interpretation of an excellent non-professional actor, who could convince us that the character is he himself, making us almost believe that the whole movie is a documentary, and not a fiction.
Considered one of the best films ever shot, Pickpocket is really unforgettable. It makes us think about life and society, while gripping our attention to details we don’t usually think of. It is not by chance that Robert Bresson has influenced many good younger directors, such as Jean-Luc Godard or François Truffaut, and that his best movie, Pickpocket, still touches us in a deep way.
The place is a jockey club full of wealthy people watching a horse race; the camera closes up in a thin ill-looking man who is about to quietly steal money from a lady’s purse. That’s how the film Pickpocket, by Robert Bresson, begins: with a tension felt by the main character, who shares his most subtle emotions with the spectator from the beginning until the end of the movie (what makes it even more unique).
Far away from the wafer-thin plot films, Pickpocket is filled with strong scenes, which show us the depth of human relations and how can people deal with their own life problems. With an existentialist plot and a unique way of filming, Robert Bresson takes the spectator through a strange story, full of new situations and the redemption of almost all those involved in it. On the other hand, however, he shows us that nothing is what it looks like and that people always have something to hide from society.
Everything could be said about Pickpocket, except that it is a far-fetched movie. Although its story seems to be similar to others, there is no place for corny scenes or mediocre characters in the film. And it is not pretentious at all - it is filmed in an atmospheric way, with the interpretation of an excellent non-professional actor, who could convince us that the character is he himself, making us almost believe that the whole movie is a documentary, and not a fiction.
Considered one of the best films ever shot, Pickpocket is really unforgettable. It makes us think about life and society, while gripping our attention to details we don’t usually think of. It is not by chance that Robert Bresson has influenced many good younger directors, such as Jean-Luc Godard or François Truffaut, and that his best movie, Pickpocket, still touches us in a deep way.
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