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Linklater's love letter to cinema will have a home on Netflix

Guillaume Marbeck and Zoey Deutch in Nouvelle Vague
(Image credit:  ARP Productions)
  • Netflix has just bought Richard Linklater's new movie Nouvelle Vague
  • The streamer has set a new record domestic deal for a French-language movie
  • The decision has been met with criticism from movie fans who hoped to see it in theaters

Netflix has bought Richard Linklater's movie Nouvelle Vague, with Deadline reporting that the deal has closed for $4 million, "a record domestic outlay for a French-language movie."

The film boasts an impressive 85% Rotten Tomatoes score, meaning it's well worth a spot on our best Netflix movies round-up, even if the decision to stream it has been met with criticism.

Linklater's movie follows the shooting of Jean-Luc Godard's Breathless. It's Linklater's first non-English language movie and stars a lot of newcomers, in keeping with the spirit of the French New Wave. It also received a lot of praise at the Cannes Film Festival.

Take a look at the trailer below.

NOUVELLE VAGUE, a film by Richard Linklater - YouTube NOUVELLE VAGUE, a film by Richard Linklater - YouTube
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Netflix's Linklater deal has been met with criticism

Guillaume Marbeck and Richard Linklater in Nouvelle Vague

(Image credit: ARP Productions)

While the best streaming services continue to thrive due to their "on demand" nature, some people have criticized the fact Nouvelle Vague doesn't appear to be getting a cinema release.

Replying to the news, one X user noted that "a film that celebrates the essence of cinema will not be screened in cinemas," an argument that seems to be shared among many movie lovers.

Another person argued that: "A love letter to cinema stuck on a streaming app? Godard would be rolling in his grave."

I also have my concerns about Netflix's decision. I'm worried Nouvelle Vague will end up buried among a seemingly endless library, while the streaming giant promotes other titles instead. It would be a shame for a movie like this to be forgotten about.

Perhaps a straight-to-streaming option was not the best move for this, as there's a risk Netflix will simply fail to market it properly, and it's not going to get a long theatrical run.

Based on the movie's success, there's a chance it could be in the next Oscar race, and it's not unheard of for a Netflix movie to win big. Emilia Perez took home plenty of awards, despite its controversial handling of its subject matter.

In terms of a potential theatrical release window for Nouvelle Vague, Deadline said: "Breathless is viewed as a cinema classic and Nouvelle Vague a love letter to cinema. Could there be longer theatrical play either in the U.S. or overseas before it hits Netflix? At least domestically, we hear it’s likely to just be the usual awards-qualifying two-week window."

I would definitely like to see Nouvelle Vague get some time in theaters, but I'm worried it won't be there as long as it deserves to be.

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Lucy Buglass
Lucy Buglass
Senior Entertainment Writer

Lucy is a long-time movie and television lover who is an approved critic on Rotten Tomatoes. She has written several reviews in her time, starting with a small self-ran blog called Lucy Goes to Hollywood before moving onto bigger websites such as What's on TV and What to Watch, with TechRadar being her most recent venture. Her interests primarily lie within horror and thriller, loving nothing more than a chilling story that keeps her thinking moments after the credits have rolled. Many of these creepy tales can be found on the streaming services she covers regularly.

When she’s not scaring herself half to death with the various shows and movies she watches, she likes to unwind by playing video games on Easy Mode and has no shame in admitting she’s terrible at them. She also quotes The Simpsons religiously and has a Blinky the Fish tattoo, solidifying her position as a complete nerd. 

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