Bed and Board, the fourth installment in François Truffaut's five-film series chronicling the life of the fictional character Antoine Doinel (Jean-Pierre Léaud), fails to live up to its predecessors, particularly the iconic 400 Blows from 1959.
From the very beginning, I found it difficult to grasp who Antoine truly is. Is he meant to be an eccentric character or simply quirky? Regardless of the intention, Truffaut's attempt at comedy falls flat, leaving us with an entirely unlikable protagonist in Antoine.
The story picks up with Antoine already married to Christine (Claude Jade), a music teacher, and living in an apartment provided by his in-laws. He spends his days dyeing carnations for flower shops in the courtyard below-a rather underwhelming occupation for the husband of a music teacher. It's puzzling to fathom what Christine sees in this ne'er-do-well, making it hard for us to connect with their relationship.
As the exposition drags on interminably until Christine gives birth to their child, the unlikability of Antoine only becomes more apparent. He secretly names his son Alphonse, a name Christine vehemently rejects as she deems it unsophisticated and peasant-like. This only further adds to Antoine's inadequacies as a character.
Adding to the story's mediocrity, Antoine takes up an incredibly tedious job for an American company, demonstrating model boats in a mock harbor to potential customers. One has to wonder if such mundane jobs even exist in real life, and if they do, who would willingly opt for such monotony?
The main plot point revolves around Antoine's affair with Kyoko (played by Japanese supermodel Hairoko Berghauer), a client. Antoine's affair with Kyoko causes a severe rift in his relationship with Christine, leading to their separation.
Antoine eventually ends up continually calling Christine, lamenting that he no longer has anything meaningful to say to Kyoko. This monotonous repetition of complaints leaves us just as bored as Antoine himself, further adding to the overall lackluster experience of the movie.
The film trudges forward with predictable and uninspired plot twists, leading to a reconciliation between the young couple, which does little to salvage the overall tedious experience.
Truffaut attempts to inject some humor through quirky characters such as the persistent woman trying to bed Antoine and a shady stalker who is oddly redeemed as a clever impressionist on television. However, these attempts at levity fall short, contributing to the film's disappointing outcome.
While Jean-Pierre Léaud does his best with the insufferable part of Antoine, Claude Jade manages to infuse some charm into the character of the warm-hearted wife, Christine.
Bed and Board falls far short of expectations and should be avoided like the plague. Truffaut's attempt to add depth and humor to the life of Antoine Doinel comes across as tedious and unappealing. This film lacks the brilliance of its predecessor and leaves viewers feeling indifferent and disconnected from its unlikable characters and lackluster plot.
From the very beginning, I found it difficult to grasp who Antoine truly is. Is he meant to be an eccentric character or simply quirky? Regardless of the intention, Truffaut's attempt at comedy falls flat, leaving us with an entirely unlikable protagonist in Antoine.
The story picks up with Antoine already married to Christine (Claude Jade), a music teacher, and living in an apartment provided by his in-laws. He spends his days dyeing carnations for flower shops in the courtyard below-a rather underwhelming occupation for the husband of a music teacher. It's puzzling to fathom what Christine sees in this ne'er-do-well, making it hard for us to connect with their relationship.
As the exposition drags on interminably until Christine gives birth to their child, the unlikability of Antoine only becomes more apparent. He secretly names his son Alphonse, a name Christine vehemently rejects as she deems it unsophisticated and peasant-like. This only further adds to Antoine's inadequacies as a character.
Adding to the story's mediocrity, Antoine takes up an incredibly tedious job for an American company, demonstrating model boats in a mock harbor to potential customers. One has to wonder if such mundane jobs even exist in real life, and if they do, who would willingly opt for such monotony?
The main plot point revolves around Antoine's affair with Kyoko (played by Japanese supermodel Hairoko Berghauer), a client. Antoine's affair with Kyoko causes a severe rift in his relationship with Christine, leading to their separation.
Antoine eventually ends up continually calling Christine, lamenting that he no longer has anything meaningful to say to Kyoko. This monotonous repetition of complaints leaves us just as bored as Antoine himself, further adding to the overall lackluster experience of the movie.
The film trudges forward with predictable and uninspired plot twists, leading to a reconciliation between the young couple, which does little to salvage the overall tedious experience.
Truffaut attempts to inject some humor through quirky characters such as the persistent woman trying to bed Antoine and a shady stalker who is oddly redeemed as a clever impressionist on television. However, these attempts at levity fall short, contributing to the film's disappointing outcome.
While Jean-Pierre Léaud does his best with the insufferable part of Antoine, Claude Jade manages to infuse some charm into the character of the warm-hearted wife, Christine.
Bed and Board falls far short of expectations and should be avoided like the plague. Truffaut's attempt to add depth and humor to the life of Antoine Doinel comes across as tedious and unappealing. This film lacks the brilliance of its predecessor and leaves viewers feeling indifferent and disconnected from its unlikable characters and lackluster plot.