Those of you who like happy endings should stop reading this review immediately. Blue Valentine is not for you. In fact, I wouldn’t say it’s “for” anyone, save for those rare few who very much enjoy having their hearts metaphorically torn out and stomped on. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a bad film – on the contrary, it’s a beautiful piece of art. It’s just no t a particularly pleasant one.
Directed by Derek Cianfrance, the film follows “Dean” (Ryan Gosling) and “Cindy” (Michelle Williams), who meet in their late teens and fall madly in love. However, the magic doesn’t last, and years later, though they are married and have a child, their troubled pasts manifest in tragic ways.
Cianfrance skips around in the couple’s story, contrasting their budding romance with their failing marriage for maximum emotional impact. He keeps the shots close and rough, giving the film a lived-in feel that is both wonderfully natural and slightly unsettling, considering the personal, almost claustrophobic manner in which some of the scenes are filmed.
It’s a good thing his actors are capable of handling such invasive work. Gosling is superb, taking us on Dean’s journey from quirky dreamer to aging slob with his customary charm and openness. As for Williams, I am convinced that she is capable of playing any character, at any age, in any point in history. She is an ageless, timeless beauty who dares to make herself both physically and emotionally ugly, and she does so here with astounding fearlessness.
If you dare to give Blue Valentine a try, do so with a box of tissues by your side. A pint of ice cream wouldn’t hurt, either. You’ll need both to soothe yourself after such a harrowing cinematic experience.
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