Director Francois Truffaut’s picture about a young boy with absolutely no direction in his life is one of compelling storytelling topped by incredible filmmaking. Truffaut explores the aimlessness and joy of youth, as well as the ticking hands of time that accompany youth as our protagonist Antoine Doinel realizes all too early he’s becoming a man, and the innocence he’s savored for so long is doomed to come to a bitter end, very soon. Hence the haunting and enigmatic closing scene where he scampers on to the beach, one of his favorite locations in the world, and looks out on to what almost feels like a blank slate.

