Going Places is a provocative French road movie directed by Bertrand Blier. It is often described as a dark, amoral comedy that follows two aimless thugs, Jean-Claude (Gérard Depardieu) and Pierrot (Patrick Dewaere), as they travel across the French countryside.
However, to dismiss the film as purely misogynistic is to miss its satirical edge. Blier exposes the fragility of male bravado. Behind the tough posturing, Jean-Claude and Pierrot are terrified, lonely boys who don't know how to function in society. The film explores themes of alienation and the breakdown of traditional social structures. It captures the confusion of a generation that had rejected the old rules but hadn't yet figured out new ones. fylm going places 1974 mtrjm kaml fydyw lfth
Themes: It explores "masculinity in crisis," absolute freedom from societal constraints, and the pursuit of pleasure without regard for consequences. Reception and Controversy Going Places is a provocative French road movie
What saves Going Places from being purely offensive is its strange tenderness and absurdist humor. Miou-Miou’s character, Marie-Ange, finds freedom in her degradation — a problematic concept by modern standards, but one the film explores with weird sincerity. Blier exposes the fragility of male bravado
By the 2000s, critics re-evaluated the film. In 2014, Les Valseuses was restored and re-released in France, now rated for adults but no longer censored.