Bullitt-Chill Vibes and Great Filmmaking

There's a uniquely casual and chill atmosphere to Bullitt throughout most of its runtime. Though the film revolves around a high-stakes mystery, it never treats its story with that high of stakes. There are scenes of Steve McQueen's Frank Bullitt investigating and high-stakes action scenes throughout, but interspersed with these scenes are scenes of such causality. Scenes of Frank hanging with his hot girlfriend and running errands. Even scenes of the investigation feel very casual, with Frank and the rest of the police characters talking to each other with a directness that allows the film's story to jump from one moment to the next without any overt drama, showing these situations for what they are, and nothing more. 

The film is also very well-made. There's a lived-in quality to Peter Yate's direction. Through long takes and tracking shots through rooms and hallways, the camera follows the characters with such meticulousness that I'm kept engaged with the story. The on-location photography of San Francisco, which highlights its many piers, winding and downhill roads, and tiny houses and storefronts, makes the city almost into a character in and of itself. The way the film focuses on each minute detail of this city keeps me compelled by the story. 

Though there are only three main action set pieces, they're very effective. The long tracking shots that make most non-action scenes so compelling also work wonders within the action. The film uses close-ups and long tracking shots to ratchet up the tension, whether in the on-foot chase scene in the hospital or the phenomenal car chase sequence through the streets of San Francisco. The film's lived-in quality of its San Franciso setting is at its best during the car chase, which makes excellent use of San Francisco's unique geography, highlighting the twisting roads and downhill slopes for some incredible practical car stunts. The chase through the airport, which uses wide shots to highlight the openness of the location, makes for an incredibly effective maze-like final setpiece to cap off the film. 

Though the film's filmmaking and chill atmosphere make it so compelling, I didn't find much to write home about the story itself. The story features some overly convoluted mystery involving a mob informant that I never found compelling or exciting. When the film focused on this mystery, through scenes of Frank talking to his Captain or scenes featuring Senator Chalmers, I found the film pretty slow and dull. 

Bullitt's story might not be anything to write home about—it's boring and too overly convoluted. But it's no big deal when the chill vibes it exudes and the fantastic filmmaking are this effective. Bullitt shows that with great filmmaking and the right tone, a film can make any story compelling.

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