Blue Valentine (B or 3/4 stars)
'Blue Valentine' (written & directed by Derek Cianfrance) tells a story of love found & love lost; an intimate account of the relationship between Dean & Cindy (Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams). The film begins near the sad finale of Dean & Cindy's marriage, jumps back to the joyful beginning, & then cross-cuts the narrative between these 2 time frames throughout. Anything that occurred between these 2 time frames are left for us to decide what happened (happy occasions, life's banalities, arguments, etc.). But when we 1st meet them in 'present' day, the couple is at the start of another slog of a day. Dean is a house painter, Cindy is a nurse, & they share a small house in rural Pennsylvania with their 6 yr. old daughter, Frankie.
But as one narrative thread unravels, another is strewn together. Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams, bloated & haggard at first glance reappear in the film's 1st flashback in younger, slimmer, more energetic facades. We've rewound 6 years (onscreen) - the actors had little time to achieve their physical transformations - and Dean, working for a moving company, is dating Cindy, whom he 1st meets at an assisted living home where she visits her beloved grandma. Cindy's ex-boyfriend, Bobby (Mike Vogel) is an asshole, & her father is a misogynistic jerk; so she's determined to make something of her life to escape the men in her life.
Dean, with nothing to hold him back, has more romantic notions of life. He wants a woman, & he wants her completely. In the early weeks of the relationship, Dean's willingness to do anything for Cindy takes her aback. She (and we) find him utterly charming, funny, & winsome. He plays a ukulele in the street, she dances while he croons, he sits through a dinner where her father berates him ... he even takes a beating from Cindy's ex, Bobby. And when Cindy admits to Dean that she is pregnant (and most likely with Bobby's child), he devotes himself to her & the baby, nevertheless. Sounds like an amazing guy, right?
But in fact, the very qualities that seemed ideal & appealing to Cindy at first are intolerable to her 6 yrs. later (in the present day scenes). She now wants him to put down the beer can & do something with his aimless life. But all he desires is to be with her & their daughter. She used to love his support of her, now she just finds him weak. And when a pet tragedy occurs, Dean tries to organize a romantic evening away from the house so as to keep their mind off of the animal, but also to try to rejuvenate what's become a tedious marriage. This one night, and the day that follows, shows us what IS and what will become of idealist Dean, and his tired, emotionally frayed wife, Cindy. Where did it all go wrong?
There's lots of humor in 'Blue Valentine', but there's tons of heartache, as well; making for a difficult film to either sit through or shake once you've left the theater. If ever there were a movie to NOT take a 1st date on ... it's this one {haha}. Why you ask? Because what appears to be an achingly loving relationship disintegrates into almost nothing, right before our eyes - simply because one party in the relationship has basically 'had enough'. It's a very anti-marriage film, I'd say. But then, this is also a very specific kind of marriage; and this couple has their own set of unique circumstances.
There isn't much of a story in 'Blue Valentine'. The settings are plain (inside a house, inside a motel room, inside a doctor's office). So the brunt of the narrative is seen through character interaction. What makes the film go down easy is watching the absolutely beautiful romantic scenes (in most of the flashbacks). As for their palpable onscreen chemistry, it's well documented that Gosling & Williams prepared for this film for years, & even lived together for a while to get a feel for one another. The portrayals are as raw & naturalistic as you could get. But then, I feel like these 2 particular actors are 2 of the best in Hollywood at combining onscreen charisma WITH agonizing emotional investment in the roles they play. The performances are absolutely scintillating.
Plenty of the blame (of the splintering of the marriage) will be on the character of Cindy. For portions of the 'present' day scenes, she comes across as stubborn & disenfranchised. I felt like I wanted to know more about why she slowwwwly fell out of love with Dean. But I think the answers are in the particulars of what we're given. i.e., Cindy's parents had a volatile relationship. She never had a loving emotional climate growing up. She's always wanted to break-out & make something of her life; to be independent. Perhaps, she always wanted a conventional mate. Dean loves spontaneity & the simple life. Cindy doesn't, etc. It's her fault that their relationship splinters, but it isn't necessarily her fault that she is the way she is, nor is it his that he loves her to death.
Scenes showing their initial romance (him wooing her on a bus, the ukulele scene, playfulness in a taxi) show us that deep down ... Cindy really did fall hard for Dean. But as time wore on, resentment built up; resentment and jealousy towards Dean for his complacency. Dean was, is, and always will be a free spirit who loves to wake-up, have a beer, go to work, come home, & love the hell out of his family. He has a 'bliss' for life. Their daughter has more fun with daddy than mommy. Cindy was, is, and always will desire a career & a need of importance over the sentimental (that Dean inhabits). Her adolescent love for Dean took precedence over her career for a while. But she can't shake how she truly feels, & has always felt deep inside.
The other major factor in Cindy's loss of love for Dean is due to the conditions with which she & Dean came together. Cindy's ex, Bobby, was using her for sex. Just as this was occurring, Dean entered her life. And to her, Dean represented the antithesis of Bobby. He was attentive, carefree, & totally invested in HER. She'd never felt anything like that before from any male in her life. Dean represented liberation & support. But she mistakes that support for love.
'Blue Valentine' is distressing. Many people may feel like the film is too fatalist, too painful; leaving us (along with poor Cindy & Dean) in a haze of hurt feelings & undefined disappointments. But what trumps the sadness is that the movie is a fascinating observation of human behavior. It's humorous (in spots), touching (in flashback mode), & offers 2 of the most emotionally naked performances this year. And though there is nothing flashy about the filmmaking (low-budget camerawork), the script & direction are astute. That is why I appreciate the film so much & recommend it. But I doubt you'd ever want to see it again.
But as one narrative thread unravels, another is strewn together. Ryan Gosling & Michelle Williams, bloated & haggard at first glance reappear in the film's 1st flashback in younger, slimmer, more energetic facades. We've rewound 6 years (onscreen) - the actors had little time to achieve their physical transformations - and Dean, working for a moving company, is dating Cindy, whom he 1st meets at an assisted living home where she visits her beloved grandma. Cindy's ex-boyfriend, Bobby (Mike Vogel) is an asshole, & her father is a misogynistic jerk; so she's determined to make something of her life to escape the men in her life.
Dean, with nothing to hold him back, has more romantic notions of life. He wants a woman, & he wants her completely. In the early weeks of the relationship, Dean's willingness to do anything for Cindy takes her aback. She (and we) find him utterly charming, funny, & winsome. He plays a ukulele in the street, she dances while he croons, he sits through a dinner where her father berates him ... he even takes a beating from Cindy's ex, Bobby. And when Cindy admits to Dean that she is pregnant (and most likely with Bobby's child), he devotes himself to her & the baby, nevertheless. Sounds like an amazing guy, right?
But in fact, the very qualities that seemed ideal & appealing to Cindy at first are intolerable to her 6 yrs. later (in the present day scenes). She now wants him to put down the beer can & do something with his aimless life. But all he desires is to be with her & their daughter. She used to love his support of her, now she just finds him weak. And when a pet tragedy occurs, Dean tries to organize a romantic evening away from the house so as to keep their mind off of the animal, but also to try to rejuvenate what's become a tedious marriage. This one night, and the day that follows, shows us what IS and what will become of idealist Dean, and his tired, emotionally frayed wife, Cindy. Where did it all go wrong?
There's lots of humor in 'Blue Valentine', but there's tons of heartache, as well; making for a difficult film to either sit through or shake once you've left the theater. If ever there were a movie to NOT take a 1st date on ... it's this one {haha}. Why you ask? Because what appears to be an achingly loving relationship disintegrates into almost nothing, right before our eyes - simply because one party in the relationship has basically 'had enough'. It's a very anti-marriage film, I'd say. But then, this is also a very specific kind of marriage; and this couple has their own set of unique circumstances.
There isn't much of a story in 'Blue Valentine'. The settings are plain (inside a house, inside a motel room, inside a doctor's office). So the brunt of the narrative is seen through character interaction. What makes the film go down easy is watching the absolutely beautiful romantic scenes (in most of the flashbacks). As for their palpable onscreen chemistry, it's well documented that Gosling & Williams prepared for this film for years, & even lived together for a while to get a feel for one another. The portrayals are as raw & naturalistic as you could get. But then, I feel like these 2 particular actors are 2 of the best in Hollywood at combining onscreen charisma WITH agonizing emotional investment in the roles they play. The performances are absolutely scintillating.
Plenty of the blame (of the splintering of the marriage) will be on the character of Cindy. For portions of the 'present' day scenes, she comes across as stubborn & disenfranchised. I felt like I wanted to know more about why she slowwwwly fell out of love with Dean. But I think the answers are in the particulars of what we're given. i.e., Cindy's parents had a volatile relationship. She never had a loving emotional climate growing up. She's always wanted to break-out & make something of her life; to be independent. Perhaps, she always wanted a conventional mate. Dean loves spontaneity & the simple life. Cindy doesn't, etc. It's her fault that their relationship splinters, but it isn't necessarily her fault that she is the way she is, nor is it his that he loves her to death.
Scenes showing their initial romance (him wooing her on a bus, the ukulele scene, playfulness in a taxi) show us that deep down ... Cindy really did fall hard for Dean. But as time wore on, resentment built up; resentment and jealousy towards Dean for his complacency. Dean was, is, and always will be a free spirit who loves to wake-up, have a beer, go to work, come home, & love the hell out of his family. He has a 'bliss' for life. Their daughter has more fun with daddy than mommy. Cindy was, is, and always will desire a career & a need of importance over the sentimental (that Dean inhabits). Her adolescent love for Dean took precedence over her career for a while. But she can't shake how she truly feels, & has always felt deep inside.
The other major factor in Cindy's loss of love for Dean is due to the conditions with which she & Dean came together. Cindy's ex, Bobby, was using her for sex. Just as this was occurring, Dean entered her life. And to her, Dean represented the antithesis of Bobby. He was attentive, carefree, & totally invested in HER. She'd never felt anything like that before from any male in her life. Dean represented liberation & support. But she mistakes that support for love.
'Blue Valentine' is distressing. Many people may feel like the film is too fatalist, too painful; leaving us (along with poor Cindy & Dean) in a haze of hurt feelings & undefined disappointments. But what trumps the sadness is that the movie is a fascinating observation of human behavior. It's humorous (in spots), touching (in flashback mode), & offers 2 of the most emotionally naked performances this year. And though there is nothing flashy about the filmmaking (low-budget camerawork), the script & direction are astute. That is why I appreciate the film so much & recommend it. But I doubt you'd ever want to see it again.