|
Blue Valentine
| Released |
14 January 2011 |
| Director |
Derek Cianfrance |
| Starring |
Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams |
Writer(s)
|
Derek Cianfrance, Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne |
Producer(s)
|
Lynette Howell, Alex Orlovsky, Jamie Patricof |
| Origin |
United States |
| Running Time |
114 minutes |
| Genre |
Drama, romance |
| Rating |
16 |
|
|
Introspective ideal.
There are few movies that can penetrate to your very marrow bypassing the cynical nebulae of all your bullshit so that it neatly pierces your core and aeons later, when you're doing the manifold things that consume your days in the 21st century, it hits you again and again. Blue Valentine is just like that. An arty, modern look at a young married couple who are finding the going tough is hardly a subject matter that's likely to elicit excited goosebumps but its the treatment, the acting, the production-everything all balled together which make this movie such a special one.
Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams) live a normal, average suburban life with their young daughter Frankie (Faith Wladyka). While the multi-tasking Cindy is the family’s main breadwinner, Dean spends the long days drinking, painting the neighbours’ houses and goofing around with the adorable Frankie. Cindy's obvious dissatisfaction with Dean however soon becomes a big problem for the once madly in love couple and while both acknowledge their problems, neither know how to fix them and gradually their tempestuous union dissolves.
Directed by Brother Tied's Derek Cianfrance the Blue Valentine story is told through a series of flashbacks that detail key moments in Dean and Cindy's fledgling relationship. The sweetness and innocence of the heady days of their budding romance are then perfectly juxtaposed with the latter-day grim reality of their marriage. As depressing as this all sounds, the palpable chemistry between Gosling and Williams makes this one of the most watchable films of the year. Gosling recently revealed that he, Williams and little Wladyka lived together for several weeks prior to filming began-simulating the family dynamic that they were charged to portray on screen-and it really shows. It almost feels like a documentary that chronicles the slow, painful unravelling of a typical family unit in contemporary America. While Gosling has already proved his acting mettle in any number of indie flicks, Williams has taken a little longer to showcase her considerable talents and Blue Valentine is really her baby. While both are already nominated for Golden Globes this film has the momentum to steal Oscar glory from under the nose of bigger blockbusters.
- Louisa McElwee |
