Has there ever been a generation angstier than the ones that grew up with rock? When asked to make a film inspired by the music he listened to, Olivier Assayas created Cold Water, a coming-of-age drama that captured a generation who had to hunt down the new American sound, while the adults were satisfied with the established classics. It’s a raw recollection, one that paints that time with dissatisfaction instead of the rose-tinted nostalgia that usually comes in this genre. Nearly half the film was just focused on the hazy, smoke-filled party that burned down an abandoned mansion. But in forgoing the familiar coming-of-age beats, Cold Water honestly captures both the fading joy and empty solitude that comes with growing up.

Given the runtime, it won’t be a surprise that the party scene would stand out, but it’s also interesting because it’s one of the few markers that formed the foundation of Assayas’ style.