Marking Godard’s full transition from playful Hollywood deconstructionist to radical political essayist, this philosophical/ethnographic exploration of 24 hours in the life of a housewife who has turned to prostitution in order to pay for the consumer product paradise that Godard saw as eating away at the French soul is a complex stew of political, historical, and literary allusions. It is also one of the best examples of Pauline Kael’s assessment of Godard’s cinema: “It’s possible to hate half or two-thirds of what Godard does—or find it incomprehensible—and still be shattered by his brilliance.” In this regard, 2 or 3 Things is quite shattering. (DVD)