Pickpocket (The Criterion Collection) [Blu-ray]

Robert Bresson's genius rests in his awareness that actions often reflect on reality, as the action is something that physically affects its surroundings. By stripping the scenes from emotions and only displaying the actions with complete strangers, the audience gets a sense of genuine presence through the character's actions. To further the meaning of the action, Bresson displays a minimal amount of reactions to the acts taken by the characters such as facial expression or body language. It leaves the viewer with the cold atmosphere where the interactions bring out a true sense of what is taking place on the screen with a clear impression without misunderstandings. Thus, the deeds committed within the film tell the truth without the combination of acting and pointless gibberish of words that often blurs the situation through truths, half-truths, and lies.Interestingly, Bresson opens the film with a shot of a hand writing down the beginning of self-confessional statement, which belongs to the main character. The initial statement remains enigmatic, as the film lyrically transitions the film into progression where the audience will learn what the main character has to confess. Through superimposing, the first scene with a pair of gloved rich female hands and a wad of money it allows the viewer to learn the truth of the confession. The gloved hands transfer the money to suited man who enters a line for on-site racetrack betting. Throughout the sequence, the hands are fiddling with the cash between the fingers, as the protagonist and antihero Michel's (Martin LaSalle) ogles the wealth switching hands while being within his reach. Bresson triggers a similar reaction that Pavol's dogs experienced when they salivated to the stimuli of the bell, as the fingers are fondling the money. It helps the audience to identify with Michel on various levels such as thinking about what the money could help provide. In this opening the audience learns the hands significance, as hands are what nurtures the protagonist's actions, which will inevitably lead to trouble.At first, it seems that the internal desire is driven by greed, but shortly after Michel's first pick pocketing the emotional high of the possibility of apprehension due to the illegal act seems to be one of the motivating factors. Michel's voice-over statement strengthens this notion when he states, "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet." Clearly, he senses an emotional high, which also displays emotional arrogance nourished by his recent success. However, to Michel's dismay, he goes down in flames, as the police arrest him fleeing the scene, but they are forced to release him due to lack of evidence. In addition, his home seems to support the idea that wealth does not have a significant meaning to him, as he leaves all his doors unlocked for anyone to enter at any time.Some of the motivating forces within Michel appear to be shame, guilt, and paranoia. These emotions seem to emerge through the Oedipus complex that he possesses in relation to his internal desire to pick pockets. He knows it is wrong, yet the desire overcomes his awareness of its immorality, which feeds his feelings of guilt, shame, and paranoia. At the same time, the exhilarating stimuli of succeeding, as he puts it "I was walking on air, with the world at my feet" is worth the risk of shame. These feelings remain throughout the film, but as Michel becomes a student of a master pickpocket he also begins to defeat his feelings with confidence. Nonetheless, the police remain in a not too far distance to remind him of his illegal activities, which allows for shame, guilt, and paranoia to linger throughout the film.Pickpocket provides a fascinating tale of a man and his vocation, as it allows for the audience to drift into a deeply personal perspective on the motivations that drive a man to do what he does. With the help of Fyodor Dostoyevsky's Crime and Punishment Bresson brings out the psychological and moral aspects of the story. However, he is far subtler, as he does not deal with the axing of a human. Together with the music and the scene framing the acts of the characters deliver several absorbing ideas in regards to how and why Michel acts in the way he does. The minimalism that Bresson is known for also helps highlight many of these vital aspects of the film, as it does draws attention to what truly is important - the acts of human beings.

What can a person possibly say about this film in terms of an objective review?? One has to "know" this character to understand him, at least in my humble opinion. For many, they are happy in just enjoying the movie for the director's technical mastery, or the plot, or perhaps for other reason unknown to me. This is a deceptively simple film but one that tugs on your reasoning's sleeve, it questions and makes statements about law and punishment, love, self interest and individualism, conformity, intimacy, the inner turmoil that exists in all of us. Interesting enough, the ending leaves me wondering does love really conquer all? But that's all always the question left at the end of the day and we hope it does, in fact we need it to, which is why we plunge into it despite our reservation and warnings. The movie doesn't suggest a "happily ever after" rather, love is a pause from our selfishness, self destruction isolation and loneness. There is at least hope in love, I cant say that for work, or any other social institution.I wont make remarks about the filmmaker Bresson, even though I have seen several of his films, its just that I don't feel as if I understand his "methods and mentality" enough to criticism him. He has to be as complicated as his movies. And to really review this movie properly would require at least 500 words, but why bother? The beauty of this movie is its so simple but yet every time you watch it something new happens. Just watch this and marvel at what Bresson's subtle but intense story telling style.And yes, this movie reeks of existentialism.

Interesting story of how a man decided to become a pickpocket, and what happened to him and his life. What was more interesting to me was in the extras. One of the extras what a show by a real pickpocket, who was also the expert for the film and had a role in the film. This man was able to lift all sorts of things off of his audience, who didn't know they were gone until the expert mentioned them.

Excellent movie that explores the philosophy of the übermensch and the philosophies of Nietzsche , existentialism, Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky , Camus, and even Kafka. The antihero is many layered and Bresson’s deft direction of emotionless characters is riveting. The pickpocketing sequences are like ballets in their attention to detail and fluidity.

don't bother renting the HD version, its an old movie and the HD version makes no difference...Amazon should actually not even offer HD its kind of chinz of them to imply paying $1 is giving you more quality.But the movie itself is mind blowing even after all these years. The pacing is perfectly executed...I really have nothing new to add to a movie that is so exquisite. One should just watch it and allow themselves to be immersed into a higher level of cognition.

Loosely based on Dostoyevsky's "Crime and Punishment," this spare, understated character study by French auteur Bresson boasts a unique filmmaking style, with minimal dialogue, precise editing, and severely restrained acting from the cast of non-pros--the signature approach of the director. Yet slowly and gracefully, especially in the beautifully composed sequences in which Michel practices his nimble art, the spiritual dimension of Bresson's artistry emerges. The influence of "Pickpocket" on Paul Schrader was huge, too: He employed the film's confessional voiceover technique for his own "Taxi Driver."