11 years in the making, Derek Cianfrance's Blue Valentine follows young couple Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams). As daily stresses get in the way of their marriage, Dean flounders to keep the spark alive and bring back the Cindy he met 5 years earlier. It's an unflinching account of a relationship in decay, time oscillates between present day and the time when they met. Without outlining the reasons for the affair's disintegration, we see their marriage laid bare as these two odd jigsaw pieces attempt to fit together. As the narrative slowly unfurls we gain a sense of their once good fit and the cracks begin to show, but their young love and tender moments keep us wishing they can make it work.
With excellent performances from both leads, Williams is comfortable to 'be' on screen, while Gosling forges through each scene, outfitted with Dean's intense persistence. The 8mm feel of the past harkens back to a time that's younger but not happier, immortalised with grainy pathos.
Blue Valentine is released on DVD & Blu-Ray in the UK on 9th May.
Thanks to the wonderful folk at Optimum, I'm giving away 3 DVD copies right here on Uncultured Critic!
All you have to do to enter is:
- Leave a comment telling me your favourite romantic pairing (characters or actors) in film.
- For an additional entry, simply .
You have until Monday 18th April at 12 noon BST. Good luck!
N.B. DVDs are Region 2.
19 comments:
Loads come to mind but I'll go for Wall-E and Eve!
Oh man, so many... but I'll go ahead and say Harold and Maude! :)
Jesse and Celine in Before Sunrise and Before Sunset have to be the most touching couple. The naturalistic dialogue which resembles the real-life process of getting to know someone is magical.
Laszlo & Katherine in The English Patient - breaks my heart every time I watch it!
John Travolta and Uma Thurman, Pulp Fiction. Its all about those (uncomfortable?) silences. And the dancing!
Al Pacino and Cocaine in Scarface.
Harold and Maude in Harold and Maude - never has there been a sweeter more disjointed and moving friendship and relationship
nottinghill hugh grant and julia roberts :P
Sophia and Rob in Shortbus. Explicit sex, therapy and vibrating eggs. What more do you want from a movie couple?
So many come to mind but I love the husband and wife banter of Spencer Tracy and Katharine Hepburn in Adam's Rib.
After Hepburn and Tracy, and Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard, it has to be...Jack Lemon and Joe E. Brown. Well, nobody's perfect!
I am going to go for Alfredo and Salvatore in Cinema Paradiso. Mainly because no film has made me cry as much. Following their respective lives is a wonderfully emotional journey.
Charlton Heston and Dr Zaius. It was all done with looks. Charlton sitting there on his horse with no top on and a woman behind him fooling nobody, Zaius tied to a post, his eyes speaking fiery need.
Joel and Clementine from Eternal Sunshine. That's the closest thing I've seen to actual people in a film.
David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Mulder and Scully in The X-Files : Fight The Future.
Robert De Niro and Gerard Depardieu in 1900. Even the rise of fascism couldn't tear them apart!
Since Joel and Clementine have already been said, I'm going to say Carl and Ellie in UP.
They managed a lifetime of romance in just 5 minutes.
Raoul and Dr Gonzo in Fear And Loathing. Totes.
Thor & Jane From THOR!
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