Before seeing Truffaut's Small Change, I was afraid it was going to be one of those simple, natural films about childhood which I generally try to avoid - I'm just not good enough to go to them. But this series of sketches on the general theme of the resilience of children turns out to be that rarity - a poetic comedy that's really funny.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The film initially seemed like a simple, sentimental childhood story, but it turned out to be a rare, funny, poetic comedy about children's resilience.
- In plain terms
- A film I feared would be sentimental proved to be a witty, poetic look at resilient kids.
- What can you take from it?
- Don’t dismiss works based on assumptions; they may surprise you.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- What assumptions do I make about art?
- How can I stay open to unexpected value?
Another view
Some works still conform to the sentimental tropes they promise.
More from Pauline Kael
In the arts, the critic is the only independent source of information. The rest is advertising.
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