This film is timeless. Made over forty years ago, the conversation that these two men shared is arguably even more relevant now than it was then. The two men talk about the mechanical and habitual processes as well as the inability to distinguish reality from fantasy that make up modern life, unaware of how these ideas would become multiplied years later with technology, especially smartphones.

One of the best things about this movie is that nobody is right. Neither Andre nor Wally is more correct than the other. Andre is cynical of the modern lifestyle, arguing that people don’t experience reality. Wally takes a more appreciative view, arguing that a cigar shop can be just as real as the top of Mount Everest. He argues that it’s not necessary to have a spiritual awakening in order to experience life to the fullest.

There’s so much in this film. After it finished, I found myself in a trance, staring at the credits and just thinking. Two hours of watching a rich conversation. No doubt your mind will wonder, or mine did at least, thinking about my own experiences and ideas.

From a filmmaking perspective, this is very simple. Pretty much just one setting, two actors, and simple cinematography. But this isn’t a simple film. It’s much more than simply two old friends talking about their lives.