Even though the real genius of the film starts to come to light during the second half, I find myself appreciating the first half more and more with each watch. The metacommentary in the second half would feel lacking without Céline and Julie's playfulness and the film's carefree mood which it builds in the first hour. In this sense, the runtime is justified and every second is completely necessary. The first half is what makes the film: where its soul…
