Year: 1980
Runtime: 87 mins
Language: French
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
A look at the sexual and professional lives of three people — a television director, his ex-girlfriend, and a sex worker.
Get a spoiler-free look at Every Man for Himself (1980) with a clear plot overview that covers the setting, main characters, and story premise—without revealing key twists or the ending. Perfect for deciding if this film is your next watch.
In a French world where the lines between work and desire blur, Paul drifts through the corridors of a television studio, a filmmaker whose professional reputation is as restless as his private life. Across the same city, Denise—once his lover—carves out a new rhythm, swapping the sleek offices for a modest paper office and a farm where she trades labor for a roof. Meanwhile, Isabelle moves through the night‑lit streets, a sex worker whose day‑to‑day existence is measured in transactions that reveal both the economy of intimacy and an unspoken yearning for autonomy.
The film settles into a tone that feels both observational and intimate, a quiet chorus of everyday moments that hint at deeper unease. Conversations hover between the mundane and the philosophical, exposing how each character balances ambition, temptation, and the weight of past choices. A recurring sense of isolation is softened by fleeting connections—an interview that may never happen, a shared drink that lingers, a passing glance that suggests more than it says.
The setting itself becomes a character: cramped hotel rooms where strangers brush past, a bustling newsroom humming with deadlines, and a rural landscape that offers both solitude and the grind of cattle work. These spaces reflect the internal terrains the three protagonists navigate—rooms that feel both temporary and permanent, streets that echo with the promise of escape, and a modest apartment that serves as a reluctant crossroads for their intersecting lives.
Through a modest, almost documentary‑style lens, the narrative weaves a tapestry of longing and resilience. A subtle, recurring musical motif underscores each scene, turning ordinary moments into a meditation on memory, identity, and the quiet ways people seek to define themselves amid the chaos of modern life.
Last Updated: December 04, 2025 at 17:50
Discover curated groups of movies connected by mood, themes, and story style. Browse collections built around emotion, atmosphere, and narrative focus to easily find films that match what you feel like watching right now.
Stories where fragmented perspectives reveal a shared sense of modern loneliness.If you enjoyed the interconnected narrative of Every Man for Himself, explore more movies like it that weave together multiple character perspectives. These similar dramas delve into themes of alienation and loneliness, using complex structures to paint a poignant picture of modern disconnection.
Films in this thread typically eschew a single protagonist in favor of a mosaic structure, blending the separate yet parallel journeys of several characters. The narrative unfolds through their individual struggles with isolation, disillusionment, or a search for meaning, often revealing how their lives indirectly impact one another or reflect a common societal malaise.
These movies are grouped together because they share a specific narrative approach and thematic focus. They use interlocking stories to build a collective mood of melancholic introspection, prioritizing character study over plot and leaving the audience with a contemplative, often bittersweet, feeling about human connection.
Character studies of creators grappling with the emptiness of their work and lives.For viewers who appreciated the themes of artistic disillusionment in Every Man for Himself, this list gathers similar character-driven dramas. Discover movies like this one that explore the quiet despair of creators and professionals questioning their life's work and searching for authenticity.
The narrative pattern follows a protagonist (or protagonists) whose professional identity is central to their self-worth. As the story progresses, they confront the hollowness of their success or the compromises they've made, leading to a deeply introspective journey. The conflict is often internal, with the plot serving to expose their growing disillusionment rather than provide external resolutions.
These films are united by their profound exploration of a specific existential crisis: the disillusionment of the artist or professional. They share a melancholic tone, slow pacing that allows for deep character study, and a heavy emotional weight derived from the character's confrontation with their own emptiness and failed aspirations.
Don't stop at just watching — explore Every Man for Himself in full detail. From the complete plot summary and scene-by-scene timeline to character breakdowns, thematic analysis, and a deep dive into the ending — every page helps you truly understand what Every Man for Himself is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.
Read a complete plot summary of Every Man for Himself, including all key story points, character arcs, and turning points. This in-depth recap is ideal for understanding the narrative structure or reviewing what happened in the movie.
Track the full timeline of Every Man for Himself with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.
Discover the characters, locations, and core themes that shape Every Man for Himself. Get insights into symbolic elements, setting significance, and deeper narrative meaning — ideal for thematic analysis and movie breakdowns.
Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Every Man for Himself: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.
Discover movies like Every Man for Himself that share similar genres, themes, and storytelling elements. Whether you’re drawn to the atmosphere, character arcs, or plot structure, these curated recommendations will help you explore more films you’ll love.
Every Man for Himself (1980) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline
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