Movie Review: Take This Waltz

Luke Kirby and Michelle Williams

Take This Waltz (2011)
Written & Directed by: Sarah Polley
Starring: Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen and Luke Kirby

"Life has a gap in it. It just does. You don't go crazy trying to fill it."

Back in 2006 Sarah Polley made a name for herself as a promising young writer and director on the indie film scene. With her directorial debut, Away from Her, Polley garnered the kind of attention few young artists even dream of -- the end result being an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay. Now, with Take this Waltz, Polley delves even deeper into the nature of relationships in all their complex highs and lows. 

Freelance writer Margot (Michelle Williams) is a (mostly) happily married wife to cookbook author, Lou (Seth Rogen). Despite the occasional spat, the couple appear content in their relationship -- that is until Margot meets her handsome artist neighbour, Daniel (Luke Kirby). Margot starts to feel more alive than she has in years, sneaking out to meet up with Daniel for late-night swims, afternoon drinks or just everyday trips around Toronto. Their gradually evolving attraction to one another -- and Margot's ever-present guilt at the thought of cheating on her husband -- is at the centre of Polley's thought-provoking sophomore release.

Films rarely allow audiences to glimpse the most intimate moments of a relationship and Polley is a master at building characterization through even the smallest suggestions. Margot and Lou speak in their own language and create dozens of inside jokes -- small, everyday moments that help solidify the foundation of a relationship. Polley takes risks, creating flawed characters that often border on unlikeable. Her willingness to portray very human decisions -- even the selfish ones -- speaks volumes about her ability to see every aspect of a personality.

As one character observes in the film, "new things become old." It's a part of human nature to desire something new and exciting. We often shy away from routine. Or, like Margot, we fear the "in between" and not knowing if something better will come along. However, Margot's inability to recognize the truth in that simple statement, and to not be so afraid of it, is what ultimately leads to her unravelling.

With regards to the performances, no one in her generation plays complex and conflicted women better than Williams. Whether you find Margot a sympathetic figure or not is irrelevant -- Williams portrays her as both a world-weary adult and free-spirit who just wants to openly embrace the excitement of new love. She gives a lovely, honest performance that perfectly compliments Polley's vision.

As Lou, Rogen veers away from his usual comedic roles and gives a surprisingly touching performance as a man slowly coming to terms with the fact that his marriage is deteriorating. At first glance, Rogen and Williams may appear to be an unlikely couple, but they generate chemistry through the small, intimate flourishes they add to their characters' relationship. And, finally, as Daniel, Kirby gives off a soulful, hopeless romantic vibe -- a nice guy who has been burned in the past when it comes to love.

While Take this Waltz focuses on the finer details of everyday life, creating an intimate portrait of love gained and lost, its only major stumble is in its overlong running time and multiple false endings.

But, for those looking for a reprieve from all the summer blockbusters, Take this Waltz is a quiet indie that will keep you thinking.

FINAL GRADE:B+

Movie Review: My Week with Marilyn

Williams and Redmayne as Marilyn and Colin

My Week with Marilyn (2011)
Based on the Memoir By: Colin Clark
Directed By: Simon Curtis
Starring: Michelle Williams, Eddie Redmayne, Kenneth Branagh, Julia Ormond and Judi Dench

There are certain stars from a bygone era of Hollywood that are difficult to interpret on the silver screen. Imagine actually finding someone who could successfully portray Marlon Brando, Elizabeth Taylor or Paul Newman? Marilyn Monroe was once put into this category -- few dared to try and portray her in a film until now. Some celebrities are just too big and any attempt to give a genuine glimpse at the star will likely come off as little more than imitation. My Week with Marilyn succeeds with some aspects of Monroe's personality, but disappointingly not in other areas.

Based on the 1995 publication of the personal diary of British documentary filmmaker, Colin Clark, My Week with Marilyn focuses on how a 23-year-old Colin (Eddie Redmayne) became the third assistant director to Sir Laurence Olivier (Kenneth Branagh) during the tumultuous production of the 1957 film, The Prince and the Showgirl. A dream job for a film buff like Colin, he recognizes his upcoming opportunity to meet Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams) in person will be a dream come true. What he didn't anticipate was the friendship that would blossom between them over a brief period.

The script by Adrian Hodges leaves enough room for Williams to shine, but any chance she had at truly running away with the picture was diminished by the fact that the film frustratingly centres on Colin -- a man who claims to have shared moments of genuine love with the megastar. It's a shame too because Williams will likely prove some naysayers wrong (myself included) who thought she was woefully miscast as the blond bombshell. Although there are moments when Williams stumbles in her performance (she's never entirely convincing as Marilyn, which is disappointing), she does have a couple of lovely, subdued moments -- less silly, flirty Marilyn and more vulnerable Marilyn with tears of disappointment in her eyes.

These glimpses that we do get of Marilyn (albeit through the eyes of the lovesick Colin) is of a beautiful and sad woman who seems in over her head -- things we already knew about Monroe. This inability to bring anything new to the table nearly topples the film in the first half when most of the attention remains focused on the dull Colin.

Williams as Monroe

The underutilized secondary characters who share scenes on the set of The Prince and the Showgirl is a disappointing misuse of its cast. Halfway through the film it's easy to forget Judi Dench was in the picture as Dame Sybil Thorndike and audiences are expected to care that Colin has slighted some nice costume girl named Lucy (Emma Watson) who really, really liked him until Marilyn came along. Julia Ormond, a lovely actress, is, alas, no Vivien Leigh.

That being said, there's an interesting film buried underneath it all -- and this is where My Week with Marilyn improves. There's an early scene that shows what this movie could have been when a script read-through briefly touches on the changing norms in Hollywood during the 1950s in terms of acting technique. Olivier, a legend of the stage, is dumbfounded by the fact that Monroe needs her acting coach Paula Strasberg to work her through the art of a "Method" performance. He struggles to understand why Marilyn can't simply "play pretend" like other actors of his generation. In the same scene, Marilyn stares admiringly at Olivier as he reads through his portion of the script, suggesting she is uncomfortable in her own skin when it comes to acting alongside the longtime pros she respects, like Sir Laurence. Perhaps the film would have benefited more had it actually been about the making of The Prince and the Showgirl and the clashes between Marilyn and Olivier. Both were incredibly insecure actors at the time -- he, because of the changing art of performance on film and her, because she struggled to be taken seriously as an actress on an almost daily basis. Showcasing the incompatibility of these two actors would have allowed Williams and Branagh to really let their talents loose -- both of them had their finest moments in the film occur when they were together.

But, the focus is on the time Colin spent with Marilyn. Oddly enough, what allegedly happened between Colin and Marilyn fails to live up to Colin's over-dramatic narration at the beginning and end of the film. While Colin waxes poetic about how he "understood" Marilyn and how they shared this glorious bond, you realize there was actually very little that was real between them -- only a handful of flirtatious laughs and a couple of spooning sessions after some sight-seeing tours around London.

A woman often defined by her sexuality or the men in her lives, it does her legacy a great disservice to have her relegated somewhat to the background. All those burning questions you may have had about what Marilyn was like when she was away from the cameras still remain largely unanswered in the film.

The film amounts to little more than a lopsided venture that struggles to put both Colin and Marilyn front and centre. The plodding pace (especially in the middle of the film) and heavy-handed direction diminish whatever excitement the film was able to build in certain scenes. More frustrating than enjoyable, the real standouts are Williams and, especially, Branagh -- another instance of a couple of performances being better than the overall finished product. If only the film had been about Marilyn Monroe and Sir Laurence Olivier and a behind-the-scenes glimpse of the making of The Prince and the Showgirl. Marilyn deserved a better picture.

FINAL GRADE: C+

Movie Rant: Why I'm Not Completely Sold on the 'My Week With Marilyn' Trailer

While on my lunch break today, a colleague and I talked  about the trailer for My Week with Marilyn.

Neither of us are completely sold on it.

I'll still watch the movie, despite the fact that the early buzz has been pretty mediocre. I'll give most films a fair chance, especially ones that centre around Hollywood icons from the past. However, there a couple of things about the trailer that left me feeling a little disappointed.

1) Michelle Williams. I was initially excited when I first heard that she landed the role. One of the most talented actresses of her generation, Williams improves with each performance (most recently in Blue Valentine). Although she actually looks nothing like Marilyn Monroe I really liked a lot of the image stills from the set while it was still in production.

But when the trailer came along recently, something didn't feel right. I felt like I was just watching an actress try to portray Monroe -- and not doing a particularly convincing job of it. It was surprisingly underwhelming. I know, I know ...I haven't actually seen the film yet and I should reserve my judgment until then, but, as my co-worker, Cara, put it -- if you didn't know the movie centred around Monroe, you'd wonder what the hell was happening. The performance looks more than a little awkward but I hope it proves to be wonderful once I actually see the film. I hope.

2) There's also the fact that the film should have been about Marilyn herself -- not some British guy she may or may not have spent one full week with. Monroe deserves her own picture. She was a fascinating women in her own right; however, she's usually only ever associated with the men in her life. I'd rather see an in-depth biography on her rise and fall and how Hollywood continues to idolize her.

I know most people will disagree, but I think a significant part of why I didn't like the trailer was simply because the story looks dull in comparison to something that could have (should have) focused more on Monroe herself.

I'm a lot less excited about the film now. 

But, that's just my two cents. And my co-workers. ;)

What do you think of the trailer?

Movie Review: Blue Valentine

Blue Valentine (2010)
Starring: Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams
Directed By: Derek Cianfrance

We've all heard marriage statistics thrown around for decades -- 50% of marriages end in divorce, fewer people are getting married nowadays, etc. Blue Valentine examines one couples relationship, and it speaks volumes about just how elusive that type of true love can be sometimes. When the "honeymoon period" is over and real life sets in, can your relationship hold up against everyday burdens and commitments?

In Derek Cianfrance's film we are introduced to Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean (Ryan Gosling), four years after the bloom has faded off their relationship. They raise their 4-year-old daughter, Frankie (Faith Wladyka) in a dilapidated-looking house, barely communicating with one another unless it directly involves their child. Dean, a high school dropout who works occasionally as a furniture mover, lounges around the house drinking while the more ambitious Cindy is away at her job as a nurse. As the plot unfolds in "real time," the film is interspersed with flashback scenes showing the young couple as they were early on in their relationship. The stark contrast between then-and-now gives the audience a raw and heartbreaking glimpse into the slow deterioration of a once-loving relationship.

Director Cianfrance has only one prior film credit in his resume. If this film is any indication, he's got a lot of promise as an indie film director. Blue Valentine plays more like a documentary than a conventional film; a gritty look at the erosion between two people who were once in love. Like any great filmmaker, Cianfrance knows exactly which moments in the relationship to highlight in order to illustrate its complexity. He's just an observer of this fragile relationship, much like the audience. The film never suggests that the behaviour of its two lead characters is wrong. They just are the way that they are -- and that makes it all the more believable. Both are, inherently, good people who want to do the right thing. They just aren't good together, necessarily.

Cindy and Dean are rich and fully-realized characters. Both of their good and bad qualities are on display. However, these two characters wouldn't be half as fascinating as they are if it weren't for the performances of Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling, two of the best actors of their generation. For the sake of realism, Williams and Gosling lived together during filming in order to properly explore the highs and lows that would come with sharing a home with a partner. That dedication to character development and performance is admirable and it pays off in the completed film. Williams and Gosling have undeniable chemistry, whether they are laughing or arguing. Although Williams earned a much-deserved Best Actress nomination for her performance, Gosling should have been nominated as well. Blue Valentine is such a success at creating an atmosphere of both love and tension because of both of the leads. One wouldn't have worked as well without the other.

When Cindy and Dean meet while Cindy is still in medical school, it's clear from the start that their personalities are polar opposites. Ambitious, strong and smart, it's hard to believe, at first, that Cindy would fall for someone like Dean -- a slacker-type who refuses to grow up and carries around a ukulele as a sad reminder of the big dreams he once had about being an artist. However, Cindy's messy home life and irritating jock boyfriend drive her right into Dean's arms -- and his charm and willingness to do anything for her eventually wins Cindy over. When a sudden turn of events throws them even further into a very adult situation, Cindy and Dean dive in head-first without thinking of the repercussions or whether or not they could make their new relationship work. But that's what happens when you suddenly find yourself head-over-heels in love -- you lose focus of your initial goals and ambitions. Hindsight is 20/20, something that proves true to Dean and, especially, Cindy four years down the road.

What makes Blue Valentine so refreshingly honest and complex is that your find yourself rooting for both of them, only you don't really know how or why. Do you root for them to stay together and work it out? Or do you root for them to come to some sort of understanding and part ways while still sharing custody of young Frankie? Regardless of which you might prefer, you just don't want them to fight anymore and you feel sympathy for both of their situations.

Blue Valentine asks you to consider why something that started off so wonderfully can end up in heartbreak and anger. It's a question worth considering and it's something we all have to deal with at some point in our lives. If you are looking for answers, the film doesn't provide any, but that doesn't make it any less powerful or effective.

FINAL GRADE: A-

Movie Review: Shutter Island

Shutter Island (2010)
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley and Michelle Williams

Back in 1992, Martin Scorsese remade the 1962 film noir classic Cape Fear. With Robert DeNiro and Nick Nolte in the leads, the film was nothing more than aesthetically pleasing camp. The actors were all over-the- top and many people would be hard pressed to even remember that it was a Scorsese remake and not some other director with a mediocre film resume.

Shutter Island plays out like Cape Fear, only much worse.

Based on a Dennis Lehane novel, Shutter Island is set in 1954, when film noir was at its peak at the multiplexes across America. It's clear that Scorsese's goal was to make a film noir-ish psychological thriller. Just don't expect Shutter Island to be that film.

U.S. Marshals Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) and Chuck Aule (Mark Ruffalo) are paired up together to solve the disappearance of Rachel Solando, an inmate at the Ashecliffe Hospital for the Criminally Insane. Naturally, it's situated on an island where the only way on or off is via ferry boat. There they meet Dr. Crawley (Ben Kingsley), a man who wants to issue solved while providing the least amount of help possible. There's also a subplot involving flashbacks of Daniels' days as a soldier in the Second World War (he was one of the liberators of the Dachau concentration camp) and his rocky marriage to his deceased wife, Dolores (Michelle Williams).

The priority of most noir films of the 1940's and 1950's was its emphasis on visuals and style. The tragic and bleak conclusions were often secondary to the overall atmosphere of the film.

Stylistically, Shutter Island succeeds. Everything is washed over in a variety of grey tones and shadows. However, the plot, script and performances leaves much to be desired.

Neo-noir films (especially those of the 1970's) acknowledge the conventions of classic film noir, from the melodrama to the psychologically expressive visuals to the protagonist as a criminal. These are all derived from the German Expressionist film movement of the 1920's.

This film plays off as the horrible lovechild of Das Cabinet Dr. Caligari (1919, the greatest German Expressionist film of all time), Fight Club (1999) and A Beautiful Mind (2001). Unlike Roman Polanski's 1974 masterpiece Chinatown or Scorsese's own Taxi Driver, Shutter Island is nothing but an absolute mess and a wasted opportunity.

DiCaprio is such a wildly inconsistent actor. When he's at the top of his game, he's golden (What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Catch Me If You Can), but when he's off his game, he's lousy (Titanic). DiCaprio, who has always struggles with accents, does so again here. His Boston accent fades in and out and alters so often to the point of distraction. Shutter Island is definitely his weakest outing in awhile. He and Scorsese need a break from one another.

Ruffalo, always a reliable actor, is probably the films strongest link. Despite an awful, sidekick role, he makes the best of what he's given. And he never once feels out of place in his 1950's fedora and trench coat.

Kingsley, Williams and the other secondary characters are all mediocre at best. Granted, the material they were given wasn't exactly award-winnin, but one could argue that any genuinely talented actor can rise above the material. That never happens here.

The plot is ludicrous. The outcome of the film is obvious about an hour into it's two hour and twenty minute running time. Just when you think the film couldn't possibly take another nonsensical turn, it does just that. This isn't a cool, mind-twist of a film. It's just outright awful.

It's hard to say anything more about the film as it would "spoil" the millions of twists and turns it takes. However, it's doubtful that many people will leave the theatre enthralled and enthusiastic about what they just witnessed.

It's clear that this twice delayed film had more woes than the studio could handle. By releasing it in February (where all movies go to die), the big bosses in Hollywood clearly didn't want anything more to do with it. Understandably so.

GRADE: D-