Title: Godard as poseur, the Stones as artists
Review: At the time this film was made, Godard's reputation was as a great avant-garde artist while the Stones were mere pop singers. Thirty-odd years on, the roles are reversed. It can be seen that the Stones created something lasting while Godard's contributions to this movie are cinematically amateurish and politically primitive. Unfortunately Godard wasn't enough of an artist to appreciate the material he had, and so he keeps cutting away from the Stones to add various undergraduate-level film tricks. The net result is increased appreciation for the professionalism and discipline of the boys -- well, of Jagger, Richards, Wyman and Watts (Brian Jones is a silent, stoned presence playing inaudible rhythm guitar) -- because it contrasts so strongly with the lack of professionalism and discipline in the film itself.
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