dbborroughs Review of Place de la République

Place de la République (1974)

95 minutes of man on the street interviews is like a rich treat, absolutely delicious but you can only have so much before you say "enough"

[7/10 · 11 September 2007]

I'm very torn about this film. This is an interesting film that makes you want to get up and change the channel. Here's the problem, this film is nothing more than Louis Malle and his film crew on a street corner interviewing or following people who pass by.Thats it. There is no plot. No grand revelation. Nothing except people being people. Its absolutely wonderful...except that it goes on for 95 minutes. Since there is no plot or narrative there is nothing to hold your attention for more than a certain amount of time, you start to drift. Don't get me wrong what you're seeing is great, it really is, the problem is that after four or five people you'd wish it went some where. I mean its great having it on DVD since I can stop it and come back to it later,but at the same time I don't know if this is the sort of thing I could watch in a theater for 95 minutes in one sitting. I think the best way to describe it is as a absolutely wonderful candy that is the finest in the world, but its not the sort of thing you can eat more than a few of lest you get sick. This movie is like gorging on your favorite candy until you feel sick. That said, if you can see this is small bites I highly recommend it.