Agnès Varda's Vagabond is a faux-documentary narrative of a young female drifter found dead in a ditch one winter in France. Through flashbacks of those who interacted with her before her death, we get an incredibly rich history of her last few months of life. It very much reminded me of Into the Wild; as in that movie, I simply couldn't relate to the character in any way, shape, or form. I couldn't wrap my mind around their dependence on the kindness of strangers. It did bring up some interesting thematic questions, including her near-constant association with domesticated animals and her on-again, off-again desire to be alone or with others.
The documentary "talking to the camera" style was often at odds with the narrative storytelling structure. Nevertheless, it made for a unique and rare feel. And the content. Well, it could pique your interest, but never keep it. The thing that really struck me was how connected all the side characters were. Sometimes that gave it a very "written" feel, but at the same time it felt true to life. The cinematography also had its little quirks (panning/tracking would continue past the action, making it feel slow). Most of the acting I hated, because the actors (much like the film itself) didn't know whether it was supposed to be a documentary or a realist narrative. The music was way too melodramatic, like the score for a mystery horror film. And it felt way too long for being only 105 minutes. All in all, it isn't compelling enough to recommend. Pass on it.IMDb link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089960/
