Two or Three Things I Know About Her

Absolut, poetic masterpiece!

Bad, just Bad, we've made so much progress with movies in the last 50 years, that it looks like amateur movie now.

A generally impressionist take on disillusionment with the development of society (particularly consumerism and American hegemony) in the 20th century, paralleling the distracting nature of simply buying objects and the feeling of ecstasy imparted by being swept up in brightly colored marketing. He contrasts literal prostitution with more conventionally 'respectable' social roles, implying that laboring simply to take part in the machinery of unnecessary consumption is in actuality a form of selling oneself, and that it only serves as a form of perverse pleasure as people seek to preserve the image of themselves as modern while ignoring greater injustices around them. Well over 50 years on, the concern over the future and the potential for civilization to proceed in disturbing directions beyond our control all seems surprisingly relevant, if in a somewhat dated manner (somewhat simple by today's standards; "grrr, products bad"); it's a message of social dread that only becomes more relevant with each passing generation as science advances but the simplicity of human desire doesn't. Why did Godard feel the need to whisper his narration? I don't know, but constantly adjusting the volume was certainly not a high point of the viewing experience. (3.5/5)

No real storyline, just boring to watch

This was different and sad. It had a message about consumerism and prostitution, but I don't plan on seeing it again for its politics. Saw on HBO.

I will admit that sometimes this film has its head up its own ass. It's an obtuse film that will not be easy viewing for most because it is not easily accessible by any stretch of the imagination. Most will probably find it inpenetrable. That being said, it's been a while since my brain had to work so hard to interpret and figure out what the fuck was going on in a film because 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her never makes things clear to the viewer. If you want the short answer: it's a commentary about consumerism and how it bleeds into our everyday lives (I think...I'll admit I'm probably not smart enough to fully understand it). The film follows a woman named Juliette (Though it also takes time to letter other people speak, too) whose cost of living has gone up so much that she's taken up prostitution. Despite this way of living, she still finds to go shopping for the latest styles in fashion, taking her children to daycare, getting her car washed, etc. The film also explores the anxiety of changing times and observations of the news such as the Vietnam War. It's a commentary about everyday living and how even the little things seem to effect us as we try to adapt with such rapidly changing times. There's a lot going on, but the film sometimes stumbles over itself as it tries to make so many points within such a short running time, but also through abstract and obtuse methods. Still, I found 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her to be an intriguing think piece that really had my brain firing on all cylinders to make sense of it all. I'll probably never fully understand it, but that's part of the nature of interpretation. Only watch this film if you're into art house flicks.

One of the first cases of Godard completely abandoning conventional narrative filmmaking for that of "the film essay", Two or Three Things I Know About Her is as oblique as anything else the director has made, but it's also among his most hypnotic. Blatant in its themes (the dialogue constantly refers to consumer culture, and The Vietnam War), Godard instead mystifies his audience with a really abstract presentation, and some of the most intriguing cinematography of his entire career (Honestly, I can't think of another movie to have transgressive close-up shots of a coffee cup or a cigarette burning). While it can be hard to grasp the character motives amidst all the stylistic content, the film sports great scenarios and dialogue throughout, and has a lingering impression. Godard would never return to the framework of his classics like Breathless and A Married Woman after this piece, but Two or Three Things I Know About Her may be the pinnacle of his most experimental projects.

Surprisingly, despite the absence of both Anna Karina and Jean-Paul Belmondo, this is one of Godard's most enjoyable late '60s films.

I just didn't enjoy this one at all, I found it very tough going and pretentious. I know a lot of people hold this film in high regard so I guess it,s a personal thing, but I just didn't connect with it. I have trouble with a lot of Jean-Luc Godard's films. I enjoyed "Breathless", "Contempt" and "Vivre sa Vie", but the 5 or so others just weren't my cup of tea. I get that Godard was making a comment against commercialism with this film, but I feel you can have a message and make a film generally entertaining, which just wasn't the case for me with this film. But I suggest trying for yourself as I mentioned, I don't always connect with Godard's material.

Overwhelmingly and unabashedly pretentious, 2 or 3 Things I Know About Her may be a disappointment but there's enough skillful direction and beautiful imagery to satisfy Godard's fans.