Linear

Linear

Year: 2009

Runtime: 56 mins

Language: English

Director: Anton Corbijn

Music

Based on a story by Anton Corbijn and Bono, the film weaves in several characters Bono created for his album. It follows a disillusioned Parisian motorcycle officer, portrayed by Saïd Taghmaoui, who is weary of the growing tension between immigrants and police in the city. Frustrated, he abandons his post in Paris to travel to Tripoli and reunite with his girlfriend, hoping to escape the mounting unrest.

Melancholic
Ambiguous ending
Moderately emotional
Low intensity
Slow pacing
Simple story

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline & Setting – Linear (2009)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Linear (2009). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

2009

The events unfold in a late-2000s contemporary setting, featuring modern urban spaces and cross-border travel. The soundtrack and visuals echo the No Line on the Horizon era, grounding the mood in a global, media-saturated moment. The period underscores themes of surveillance, mobility, and cultural exchange that shape the cop’s pursuit.

Location

Paris, France, French countryside, Cádiz, Spain, Tripoli, Mediterranean Sea

Paris appears as night-time streets with graffiti that frames the Cop's defiance. The journey sweeps from the city through the French countryside and into Spain, signaling a cross-border odyssey rather than a simple police pursuit. Cádiz marks a coastal pause before the sea-crossing toward Tripoli, with the open Mediterranean framing a perilous, uncertain destination.

🌆 Urban landscape 🛣️ Road travel 🌊 Sea crossing

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

Main Characters – Linear (2009)

Meet the key characters of Linear (2009), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Cop/Biker - Saïd Taghmaoui

A motorcycle cop driven by a restless urge to break free from routine. His impulsive act of arson marks a self-destructive streak and a willingness to burn bridges as he travels toward an undefined destination. Throughout the journey he remains a solitary, mission-driven figure whose choices blur the line between protection and danger.

🛡️ Rebel 🗺️ Traveler 🔥 Destructive

Waitress - Lizzie Brocheré

A nearly solitary waitress in a quiet café who offers a brief human connection amid the Cop's erratic journey. Her presence emphasizes the gap between ordinary life and transnational pursuit, acting as a calm counterpoint to the Cop's volatility. She embodies patience, restraint, and a sense that ordinary spaces can still hold meaning.

💬 Waitress 🌍 Observer

Self - Bono

Appearing as himself, Bono provides a meta-layer to the film, framing its questions about art, protest, and cultural exchange. His on-screen persona adds a global musical context that ties the Cop's actions to broader themes of identity and collective memory. The presence of a rock icon underscores music's power to unify disparate spaces.

🎤 Pop Icon 🧭 Meta

Self - The Edge

Appearing as himself, The Edge contributes a sense of communal memory and the irreducible role of music in shaping mood. His appearances anchor the film's contemporary setting and remind viewers of the era's musical landscape. He embodies collaboration and the idea that artistic acts cross borders.

🎸 Musician 🧭 Meta

Barman - Francisco Javier Malia Vazquez

A bar worker who serves drinks to the Cop, representing a small, grounded space amid the odyssey. He signals local life and the everyday economies that exist alongside a traveler’s grand pursuit. His reactions provide a beat of realism in a journey filled with symbolic gestures.

🍹 Bartender 🏪 Local

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

Major Themes – Linear (2009)

Explore the central themes of Linear (2009), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗺️ Journey & Freedom

An odyssey across countries serves as a metaphor for personal pursuit and escape. The Cop's flight from the city toward Tripoli mirrors a desire to outrun authority and past traumas. The road trip format highlights liminality, where destinations blur and the journey becomes meaning. Landscapes and stops function as stages for inner change.

🎶 Music & Connection

Music acts as a connective tissue in Linear, bridging disparate spaces and characters. The sequence with the café and a U2 video places pop culture as a shared language across cultures. Self-performers appearing as themselves reinforce how music shapes mood, memory, and social meaning.

🧨 Rebellion

Graffiti that proclaims 'Fuck the Police' marks a defiant stance against authority. The cop's burning his own motorcycle signals a willingness to destroy the old order to pursue an undefined goal. The movie invites reflection on power, control, and the perils and temptations of radical acts.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 16:44

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Explore Movie Threads

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.

Solitary journey movies like Linear

Solitary travels to escape disillusionment and search for personal meaning.Discover movies like Linear that follow a character's quiet, introspective escape from disillusionment. If you enjoyed the melancholic road trip and the search for meaning in Linear, you'll find similar stories of personal journeys and atmospheric self-discovery here.

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern follows a protagonist, often weary or disillusioned with their current life, who embarks on a physical journey. The plot is straightforward, prioritizing mood and introspection over complex twists, as the character grapples with their past and an uncertain future.

Why These Movies?

They are grouped by their shared melancholic tone, slow pacing, and focus on a solitary protagonist using travel as a means of escape and reflection. The emotional core is a medium-weight sense of longing and the bittersweet act of moving on.

Atmospheric slow burn movies similar to Linear

Films where ambiance, feeling, and sensory details drive the experience.Find films with a similar atmospheric and melancholic vibe to Linear. This list features slow-burn mood pieces where the feeling and visual poetry are as important as the story, perfect if you liked the dreamlike and reflective atmosphere of Linear.

atmosphericdreamlikeslow burnmeditativemelancholiccontemplativeimmersivesensory

Narrative Summary

Narratives in this thread are character-driven and straightforward, serving as a vessel for exploring a specific mood. The pacing is deliberately slow, emphasizing lingering shots, evocative settings, and a focus on the protagonist's internal state over external plot events.

Why These Movies?

They share a primary focus on creating a sustained, cohesive atmosphere. The similarity comes from a combination of slow pacing, low intensity, a melancholic or reflective tone, and a visual style that prioritizes mood over complex storytelling.

Unlock the Full Story of Linear

Don't stop at just watching — explore Linear 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 Linear is all about. Plus, discover what's next after the movie.

Linear Summary

Read a complete plot summary of Linear, 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.

Linear Summary

Linear Timeline

Track the full timeline of Linear with every major event arranged chronologically. Perfect for decoding non-linear storytelling, flashbacks, or parallel narratives with a clear scene-by-scene breakdown.

Linear Timeline

Linear Spoiler-Free Summary

Get a quick, spoiler-free overview of Linear that covers the main plot points and key details without revealing any major twists or spoilers. Perfect for those who want to know what to expect before diving in.

Linear Spoiler-Free Summary

More About Linear

Visit What's After the Movie to explore more about Linear: box office results, cast and crew info, production details, post-credit scenes, and external links — all in one place for movie fans and researchers.

More About Linear

Explore More About Movie Linear

Linear (2009) Plot Summary & Movie Recap

Linear (2009) Scene-by-Scene Movie Timeline

Linear (2009) Spoiler-Free Summary & Key Flow