Ok, so although last time I commented on how long it has been since I last made a post, it has definitely been longer this time. I can assure you that this is purely down to my own laziness. Coming up to a new year though, an in keeping with all that 'new leaf' rubbish, I will try and keep this a little more of a regularly updated thing in the future!
Well, on to the good stuff, chatting amateur about films I have watched. In preparation for this post I thought I would go outside of my standard horror film rant (totally in keeping with my new leaf) and check out recent film with Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine.
Now it has been quite some time since I have seen a film which is so simultaneously uplifting and depressing about a romance. It essentially tells the tale of the relationship between the two main characters at the very beginning and end of their relationship, which spans about a decade. As you can imagine the beginning is all romance and grand gestures. The type of thing that you are looking from a life affirming romance film.
At the beginning, Gosling is characteristically believable as the charming New Yorker from the wrong side of the tracks trying to impress a girl from classes above his station, and Williams plays a very convincing girl-next-door type, and her struggles at home with her family turn Gosling from gritty underdog to a knight in shining armour to rescue her. So far, so Pride and Prejudice.
In the sections covering the latter days of their relationship, the pair manage to portray a loving home for their child together, whilst also making it abundantly clear that any spark they may have had in their relationship has gone out the window many years ago. Gosling is believable as a solid father and friend to their daughter, willingly crawling around on the floor with her and playing animals to make sure that she is entertained and not subject to any arguments he and her mother might be having. Williams manages to completely flip her vision of the younger version of her character, and comes across as a world weary and strung out mother who is struggling to come to terms with the reality of her life many years down the line.
Jump back to the initial meeting, and despite the obvious chemistry between the two leads, their courtship comes cross as very twee and sometimes like the screenwriters are trying too hard to make a quirky/indie romance story. One scene in particular is Gosling singing and playing his conveniently stashed ukulele whilst Williams tap dances in a shop door way.
This difference between the beginning and the end are essentially juxtaposing the differences between the perception of love and a relationship, and the realities that need to be considered. Making the tag-line 'A Love Story for Anyone Who's Ever been in Love' all the more appropriate. The difference is also presented to us in even subtler ways. The camera work in the early years is a lot more dynamic, and almost comes across as handheld, which carries with it the nostalgia of a home movie. Contrasting this is the smooth more even shots of the latter years, showing a more realistic and sombre toned depiction of the realities of a long term relationship.
The films isn't all about bunches of flowers and "our" songs though, as both time lines dip their toe in some darker territory. The young Williams has to deal with the idea of having an abortion and making a decision during he procedure whether to go through with it or not. While the future couple have a tense encounter after trying to spice things up by visiting a sleazy sex motel, where they have a choice of staying in the 'Cupid's Cove' room or the 'Future' room. The lack of sexual drive between the couple is distinctly contrasting to the lustful throes of their youth, and casts into doubt the stability of the paid as a couple.
The film is carried by its two leads, who managed to make the characters they are showing at different stages in their life seem like completely different people, but with hints of their old selves shining through. Despite drunken bursts of rage, Gosling still manages to bring a tenderness to his older character, which makes him more endearing tat your would think. He is in essence the type of person who believes in the early years of the narrative, and is struggling to come to terms with the reality of the final result.
So as I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the best way I can describe this film is to be simultaneously uplifting and depressing. Despite how thickly they lay it on at the early stages of the relationship, when this is contrasted with how things turn out, it actually comes as a relief and a brief reprieve to what could have been a thoroughly feel-bad film. So if you're not sue what kind of film you are in the mood for, this might be a good shout. If you don't enjoy all of it, you may enjoy at least half of it.
Also it is worth nothing, that despite 'old' Gosling having a terrible receding hair line, there seems to be little Hollywood can do to bring him out the top ten movie heart-throbs...lucky bastard.
Happy viewing...
