Les Mistons (aka The Mischief Makers) was the second short-subject film directed by Francois Truffault. Exploring subject matter that he'd later expand upon in his work (though less conventionally), Truffault takes us into the world of pre-teen boys. The protagonists are a group of scruffy Parisians on summer holiday. They play, discourse, wreak havoc on their elders, and experience a variety of sexual awakenings. It is hard to find Les Mistons on a videocassette all by itself; usually it is bracketed with one of Truffault's later features, most often the thematically similar 400 Blows.
~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide