The 400 Blows - 1959 *****

An exceedingly brilliant and amazingly simple movie by legendary Francois Truffaut which well deserves the praise it has received over the years. The story simply follows a young boy who doesn't get anything out of school and is not understood by his parents or peers. He is remarkably undemanding despite the fact that his parents spend huge amounts of time away from him but sadly their lack of attention leads him to skip school and create a petty crime. The film is beautifully shot, almost entirely without music and the acting of the small boy is superb for someone of his age. The film like the boy doesn't demand much from the audience, only to be accepted, and it's almost impossible not to come away from it feeling refreshed and moved. *SPOILERS* Watch out for the most famous scene of the film involving the class of children who go on an outing ino the town with their teacher - perfect cinema.