Le roman d'un jeune homme pauvre: Dignity in a Suit

Is it worth your time?

If you like movies that move at the speed of a dying snail but look lovely while doing it, sure. It’s an old-school drama about class and feeling sorry for yourself, which honestly, I can get behind. If you need explosions or someone sprinting across a screen like in Sagebrush Trail, you’re gonna be bored out of your mind in five minutes.

It’s the story of a guy who lost everything and now has to be the help for people he probably wouldn't have looked at twice before. Watching Pierre Fresnay play this guy is like watching someone try to fold a silk handkerchief while wearing thick mittens. He’s trying so hard to be dignified, and it’s exhausting to watch.

The Vibes

There’s this one scene where he’s just sitting there, looking out a window, and the camera stays on him for an eternity. I checked my watch. Twice. It’s not necessarily a bad choice, but you really feel the weight of every second. It’s like the movie is daring you to blink.

The house they film in feels huge and kind of empty, even when there are people everywhere. It’s got that specific 'we spent the whole budget on curtains' aesthetic. Sometimes the dialogue feels like it’s being read from a dictionary, but I guess that’s just how they talked back then? Or maybe just in this movie.

• The costumes are incredibly stiff. How did they sit down?
• I swear some of the background extras are just standing there waiting for a bus.
• The lighting in the library scene makes everyone look like they’re underwater.

It’s not as manic or weird as something like The Dizzy Dwarf, which is a relief, I guess. It’s just… polite. Sometimes too polite. I wanted the main character to just lose his cool for once, throw a vase or something, but he just keeps adjusting his cravat.

If you enjoy watching people suffer in silence while wearing very uncomfortable-looking coats, you’ll probably find this charming. It’s not a masterpiece, and it doesn’t really try to be. It’s just a movie about a guy who is poor and sad, and honestly, that’s enough sometimes. 🏛️