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The lives of a motherless boy, who is just starting to get interested in women, and his physically abused friend, who lives in poverty, are mixed with more or less innocent childhood experie... Read allThe lives of a motherless boy, who is just starting to get interested in women, and his physically abused friend, who lives in poverty, are mixed with more or less innocent childhood experiences and challenges of a number of children.The lives of a motherless boy, who is just starting to get interested in women, and his physically abused friend, who lives in poverty, are mixed with more or less innocent childhood experiences and challenges of a number of children.

Director
- François Truffaut
Writers
- François Truffaut
- Suzanne Schiffman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

7.6/10

6.7K

YOUR RATING

Director
- François Truffaut
Writers
- François Truffaut
- Suzanne Schiffman
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 4 wins & 4 nominations total

Photos79

+ 71

Top cast40

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Director
- François Truffaut
Writers
- François Truffaut
- Suzanne Schiffman
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews41

7.66.7K

Featured reviews

7Xstal

The Perpetually Panoramic Playground...

A perpetually retold tale, of preadolescence and how life fails, of how you're story is affected, by your parents, how you're directed; there's no equality in formation, in creation, it's all causation, most horizons are all shaped, by those whose habits, in which you're draped, and there's nothing you can do, no escape, you can't eschew, but you won't know until you're older, when it's too late, the forge just smoulders.

This is a film about parenting, the effect those who bring us into the world have on us, for better or for worse, and the outcomes of those effects. We can all relate to a certain degree on a lot of the themes the film introduces us too, from our own school days, and the ways society might deal with them today, but behind closed doors, when the world is looking away, kids are still as beholden to the powers, of the ones who conjured, their birthday.

8eguirald-1

One of Truffaut's masterpieces - a brilliant film

This a very French film, with generous helpings of humanity, humour and a sense of poetic realism. It is unpretentious and simple, yet very accurate and witty on its depiction of the realistic/surrealistic world children inhabit. There are several brilliant sequences; for instance, the scene where a rather shy boy (who lives a secluded life with his handicapped father) displays a healthy appetite while sharing a dinner at a schoolmate's home is poignant yet reassuringly lively and optimistic. We are also reminded that children are very resilient (watch the sequence involving the little Gregory and his cat.) With this film, François Truffaut reaffirmed his mastery as a film-maker and urban poet.

Paul P

Enjoyable slice of film about childhood

Small Change is a movie about the many children in a French town. It will irritate those who want a strong plot line. Although there are a couple continuing threads, particularly about a boy facing physical abuse at home, the film is mostly episodic and jumps randomly among dozens of children and unconnected events. In that sense, it is sort of like the way we tend to remember our own childhoods. I liked the approach.

There are several memorable sequences. I enjoyed the girl who wants to go out to dinner on her own terms and the spur of the moment "double date" at the movie theater.

One of the strengths of Small Change is that doesn't try to play up the cuteness of the child actors or overly-sentamentalize its subject matter. It is about the frustrations as well as the small joys of childhood. The adult characters are also very realistic, some of whom like kids and some of whom don't. The school teachers are the most sympathetic, one of whom seems to articulate the film's theme in a strong a monologue near the end.

Cole12

Great Movie, Interesting P.O.V.

Small Change is certainly one of Francois Truffaut's better efforts. When considering several of the excellent films he has made, that is a strong statement.

Small Change is simply about the lives of children. Grammar School children in France to be specific. That is the greatest extent any description of this film has to be. It is simply about children. What makes the film so wonderful is its simplicity in approaching its subject. It honestly views its subjects over the course of a year, and with few exceptions, does little else.

Perhaps that is what makes the film so original, because it views the world through the eyes of the children. The hopes and concerns of the children are brought to the screen with the priority system that a child would have, further emphasizing this point.

All things considered, this is an excellent film.

8dbdumonteil

Children's realm.

When this film was released,one French critic,Gilles Colpart wrote that TRuffaut did better when he focused on a main character,Antoine Doinel,for instance.At least here,we do not have to stand Jean-Pierre Léaud's mannerism.The people who watch Léaud's movies dubbed in English cannot imagine how lucky they are.Gone is Léaud,gone is Truffaut's sometimes smugness and pretension.Here we find what Truffaut does best:a movie about children played by children (he had brilliantly succeeded in the very hard task of bringing Victor the "wild child" to the screen)A lot of humor (a quality that is not generally Truffaut's forte),a lot of plots and subplots masterfully intertwined,no stars ,and a lot of spontaneity too.These vignettes are often delightful:the reluctant student declaiming Molière,the girl who "has already slept with a boy"(What did he do when you were in bed?her best friend asks-Oh,he read a comic strip, was the answer),the boy who says to his friend's mother "thanks for this frugal meal" after having swallowed a whole lot of food.But Truffaut,present in the movie through the schoolteacher character,does not give up more serious topics:here mistreated children.After he discovered one of his pupils suffered such physical cruelty,the schoolteacher explains this problem to his school mates with delicacy and intelligence,as if they were adults.Don't miss this simple,yet heart-warming movie.

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Trivia
François Truffaut: Sitting in a cabriolet, wearing his standard blue shirt in the first minute of the film.

Quotes
Jean-François Richet, the Schoolteacher: I know we are all thinking about Julien Leclou. It's in the press... and you've heard your parents talking at home. Before you go on vacation... let's talk about Julien. I don't know much more than you do... but I'll tell you how I feel. First, Julien will be taken care of by Welfare. He will be placed in a family. Wherever he goes, he'll be better off than in his own home... where, in his own words, "he was beaten." His mother shall lose her maternal right. For Julien, it may be quite a few years before he'll know the freedom to come and go as he pleases. Julien's case is so tragic that we cannot help comparing our lives with his. My own childhood was also quite painful. I couldn't wait to grow up. I felt adults had all the rights. They can lead their lives the way they want. An unhappy adult can start again from scratch. But an unhappy child is helpless. He may not know how to put it in words, but he feels that he cannot even contest his parents' right to hurt him. An unloved and battered child feels guilty. That's what's so tragic! Of all mankind's injustices... injustice to children is the most despicable! Life isn't always fair... but we can fight for justice. It's the only way! It's a slow process, but we do move forward. All people with power like to claim they're impervious to threats. But they do give in to pressure! A show of strength is the only way to get results. Adults understand that... and they obtain what they ask for by demonstrating. I want to show that when adults are determined they can improve their lot. But children's rights are totally ignored. Political parties are not concerned with kids like Julien or you. Do you know why? Because children don't vote! If kids had the right to vote they'd have better schools, sports facilities. You'd get them because politicians need your votes. You could come to school an hour later in winter instead of rushing out before daylight. I also want to say, because of my own childhood... I feel kids rate a better deal. That's why I became a schoolteacher. Life isn't easy. You must steel yourselves to face it. I don't mean "hard-boiled." I'm talking about stamina! Some of us who've had a difficult childhood are better equipped for adult life than those who were overprotected with love. It's the law of compensation. Life may be hard, but it's also wonderful. When we're confined to sickbed we can't wait to get out and enjoy life. We sometimes forget how much we really love it. You're about to go on vacation. You will discover new places and make new friends. In September, you'll move up a grade. We'll enroll both boys and girls. Time flies. Before long, you'll have kids of your own. If you love them, they'll love you. If they don't feel you love them they'll transfer their love and tenderness to other people or other things. That's life! Each of us needs to be loved! Well, boys, school is over. Have a happy vacation!