Do you have an idea of your ideal partner? Like making a mental list about the kind of person you’d want to spend your life with? Does it matter if your current partner meets all your expectations, or do basics (however you want to define it) suffice? When your relationship starts to become rocky, do you just abandon ship, or revisit your relationship to find and solve the problem? This is how we meet Sophie and Ethan, two people who are trying to make their marriage work. They have been seeing a therapist for some time, and their sessions are going nowhere, prompting their therapist to send them off in a weekend getaway to reconnect and rekindle their passion.
I’ve read a few reviews of the film, and as far as what I've read, they have kept mum about the events and the plot besides the couple of sentences you have read. They were right, saying anything beyond that will ruin the surprise the film has in store. It’s a good one, and the film definitely takes on the topic of relationships in a different level, something poetic, perhaps.
Most of the attention has been turned to Ethan, nudging the film in his point of view. We have access to his inner turmoils about his relationship with Sophie, while we only have the receiving end of hers. The characters were able to portray the pangs of being in a relationship, and everything that it entails, that it allows you to put yourself in their position and question what you would do in their stead. It was also filmed in a really nice house; the set itself adds to the charm of the film.
The chemistry between Mark Duplass and Elisabeth Moss have me convinced to go along with the film. If it were done by actors who are not as versatile as them, the film would have turned out differently. It’s a two-actor show (with Ted Danson making a short appearance as the therapist), and Duplass and Moss were able to carry their banter with flair that they’re never losing your attention. However, it was Duplass who really stood out more, primarily because the film was mostly in his character's view so he had more to work with.
It was a great film; it took me by surprise, and while the approach is unique, it doesn't take away the essence of the message it’s trying to portray.
Final Word: One of the great films I have seen this year.
Cast: Mark Duplass, Elisabeth Moss, Ted Danson
Director: Charlie McDowell
Year: 2014
Great review! You have me very intrigued about this now.
ReplyDeleteThank you! It was a nice film.
DeleteI wasn't as keen on it myself.. I think the idea was very smooth and cool but the execution in my eyes needed a bit of more work. But I still liked it, it was just a mild entertainment for me but then again, I was super tired and had watched 2 movies before it so.. maybe I was just bound to find it average. :D
ReplyDeleteI liked the premise, and I never noticed how minimalist the cast is because they all seem to be portraying different characters. Maybe it had something to do with the third act, where they try to explain the logic behind it?
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