Poor Antoine doesn't have much luck in life. After running away from home and ending 'The 400 Blows' in an observation centre for troubled youths, he is now working in a record factory, and completely failing with the girl he likes. Rather than fall into melodrama, Antoine appears now as just a regular teenager, with a passion for music, a little shy, and inexperienced with women, and we see the social mask one wears over their true emotions. From the concert, to the movies, to the hotel opposite Colette's home, we experience the swell of hope at the sight of her, to the crushing rejection as she looks for polite excuses to turn him away. It could not be captured on film more accurately - the dreaded friend zone.The black and white cinematography is handled in the same assured manner as its predecessor.

Poor Antoine (Jean-Pierre Léaud)... he stalks Collette (Marie-France Pisier) like any teenager follows a girl around. They keep bumping into each other, and he realizes she must live nearby. AND... they both appreciate music. She DOES string him along, and Antoine does everything he can to impress her and observe her every move. We watch as Antoine goes through the usual teen angst, trying to win over the woman he loves and hoping for the best. Truffaut had been in the business almost ten years when he made this, and one wonders if this was from his own life experiences; it WAS also written by him. Truffaut was nominated three times for Director and Writing... and sadly died young at 52. Did you notice Truffaut as "the French scientist" in Close Encounters ? One of the last roles he played as an actor. Antoine et Collette is pretty good. It's a bit dated, when they explain how records are made (records?? what are those ?) Showing on Turner Classics now and then. Pretty good. some sadness, like all good Truffaut films!

Isn't it the purest and most beautiful thing ever? In this short film, François Truffaut takes us into the lives of Antoine and Colette and shows us how they experience their first love. Or do they really? He works in a record store and sees her during a concert. Not much later, the two get closer and spend their free time together. She's still doing her Bac at that point and is impressed by his independence. So are her parents and his dad approves particularly seeing himself in the young man when he was that age. He writes her a love letter, she is flattered and the two spend the night at the movies where he's finally ready to make the decisive move and kiss her. Could it all be true?It's French and it's black and white. That should actually be enough information already for you to decide if you like it. It's not among my favorite short films, but I thought it still made a good watch with a quite realistic ending, even it was a bit of a bummer for my romantic self. It's pretty charming and what I probably liked most about it was how innocent its tone was from start to finish with both lead actors being under 18 when Truffaut shot the film. Pisier's untimely death makes me a bit sad, but I'm glad she left us this and many other films as a heritage. Recommended.

Truffaut's short film, made to pacify the curiosity eager fans of The 400 Blows as to the continuation of the lives of its disadvantaged characters, carries the same dry lack of emotion and still distances itself from us despite all its observation of and sympathy for the growing pains of Antoine Doinel. Though it is perhaps good that there is a distance kept because of its logical understanding of Antoine's experiences which leave him confused and painfully humbled.Jean-Pierre Leaud, who played Antoine in The 400 Blows, experiences the seemingly apocalyptic feeling of rejection, as Collette, the fixed object of his desire, has no interest in him regardless of all his efforts to entice her with frequent stopovers, invitations to concerts, and other woos. He even follows his self-assured friend's approach of writing letters, but with what appears to be no avail. Just as with The 400 Blows, we are left to ponder this perplexing phase in this character's life, causing us to reflect on our own painful memories of growing pains and the humility and self-doubt that accompanies it.