It’s another FIND Film Series screening and another trip to the Landmark Theatres. This time I arrive early enough that the distribution of the wait passes had not yet begun. So line waiting is the start of the evening for me. When I finally receive my pass, it is Clint Eastwood who is the director of my wait and the last movie of his I saw was “Million Dollar Baby”. Of course being early meant I had time to browse Barnes & Noble. After checking for the December issue of Black + White Photography (not yet arrived), I wander around on the street level floor of the bookstore and eventually purchase The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson. I have seen the movie, but want to read all three novels before seeing the second and third ones. My 2011 book project.
The screening for “Blue Valentine” is in theatre twelve and I am easily able to sit in my favorite area. The theatre is full and after the usual preliminary reminders, upcoming events, and thank-yous are given, the films begins ten minutes after the scheduled start time. There has been a ratings “controversy” surrounding “Blue Valentine”. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) originally rated the film NC-17 and it was changed on appeal to R. Let me say at the beginning that although the sexual content may be somewhat rough and graphic, the encounters are consensual – there is no rape. Perhaps it is my years of filmic experience, but I was not disturbed by the sex in “Blue Valentine”. It is depictions of violence and rape that I’ve seen in other R-rated films that have greatly bothered me. Where was the MPAA for those films? Onto other content.
During one weekend “Blue Valentine” explores the life of a young Pennsylvanian couple, Dean and Cindy – how they met, their courtship, state of their marriage – by flashbacks and flashnows throughout the film. There is a home movie feel to the film during the flashbacks with its, at times, less than sharp imagery and less than well-lighted scenes. A fitting approach to examining a less than perfect marriage from its past. Dean is a high-school dropout who, when he meets Cindy, works for a moving company. On the other hand, Cindy is in school studying medicine and has a boyfriend. A combination of differences that make for a relationship disaster. The beginning though, is full of laughter and music – in fact Dean and Cindy have a variation on the usual PDA (public displays of affection) and for them it is – public dancing anytime. However, on this weekend they have been married for about six years and Dean is now a house painter and Cindy is a nurse. And rounding out their family is their daughter Frankie, whose conception was the impetus for the marriage. The flashbacks and flashnows work well – always knew if I was watching the past or the present. There are obvious problems as seen in the breakfast bickering. Dean wants to save the marriage and his suggestion of a night in a fantasy motel room is met with resistance from Cindy, who is on call, but they do. end up in the outer space room. From there the disintegration proceeds. Not much fun anymore. However, the one funny moment toward the end of the film is when a colleague of Cindy’s says “Oh, you must be Dean.” Her delivery of the phrase seems to sum up everything about the marriage – his lack of ambition and childish ways and her lack of interest in keeping the marriage intact - and evokes laughter of comprehension on part of the audience.
I haven’t seen much of Ryan Gosling’s work - the previous movie I saw was 2004’s “The Notebook” - and for Michelle Williams it was 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain”. Though I don’t have a true basis on which to judge, I think they both do a credible job in “Blue Valentine” and have some acting nominations for the roles of Dean and Cindy to back it up. It’s a film that should be seen and please don’t be afraid of the flashbacks and flashnows – you won’t be lost within the film. The take away from the film, other than the usual “don’t get married just because of an unexpected pregnancy”, is “don’t become romantically involved with someone who has significantly less education than you do”.
I leave the screening while the credits are still rolling because, of the late start, I’m afraid I might miss my bus home and therefore I miss the Q&A session with producers Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof. Unfortunately, I see a bus at the bus stop as I exit the building and of course, I’m unable to cross the street in time to catch it. Waiting once again this evening, but this time with home as the goal.
Film Facts: Director/Writer: Derek Cianfrance, Writers: Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne, Cinematographer: Andrij Parekh, Editors: Jim Helton, Ron Patane, Musician: Joe Rudge, Producers: Doug Dey, Carrie Fix, Lynette Howell, Jack Lechner, Alex Orlovsky, Jamie Patricof, Rena Ronson, Production Companies: Hunting Lane Films, Silverwood Films
Film Type: Drama, Romance, Cast: Ryan Gosling (Dean), Michelle Williams (Cindy), Mike Vogel (Bobby), John Doman (Jerry Heller), Ben Shenkman (Sam Feinberg), Reila Aphrodite (Mary), Faith Wladyka (Frankie Periera), Samii Ryan (Amanda), Robert Eckard (Father), Michelle Nagy (Music Teacher), Dan Van Wert (Bus Passenger), Eileen Rosen (Mimi), Tamara Torres (Maria Guevara), Maryann Plunkett (Glenda), Carey Westbrook (Charlie), Length: 120’, Language: English, Country: United States, Year: 2010
Film Trailer
United States release date Friday 31 December 2010
Images:
Left: Ryan Gosling as Dean and Michelle Williams as Cindy from the website cinemablend.com
Center: Graphic interpretation of “Blue Valentine” created by Adrean Darce Brent
Right: “Blue Valentine” poster from the website filmtotaal.nl
The screening for “Blue Valentine” is in theatre twelve and I am easily able to sit in my favorite area. The theatre is full and after the usual preliminary reminders, upcoming events, and thank-yous are given, the films begins ten minutes after the scheduled start time. There has been a ratings “controversy” surrounding “Blue Valentine”. The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) originally rated the film NC-17 and it was changed on appeal to R. Let me say at the beginning that although the sexual content may be somewhat rough and graphic, the encounters are consensual – there is no rape. Perhaps it is my years of filmic experience, but I was not disturbed by the sex in “Blue Valentine”. It is depictions of violence and rape that I’ve seen in other R-rated films that have greatly bothered me. Where was the MPAA for those films? Onto other content.
During one weekend “Blue Valentine” explores the life of a young Pennsylvanian couple, Dean and Cindy – how they met, their courtship, state of their marriage – by flashbacks and flashnows throughout the film. There is a home movie feel to the film during the flashbacks with its, at times, less than sharp imagery and less than well-lighted scenes. A fitting approach to examining a less than perfect marriage from its past. Dean is a high-school dropout who, when he meets Cindy, works for a moving company. On the other hand, Cindy is in school studying medicine and has a boyfriend. A combination of differences that make for a relationship disaster. The beginning though, is full of laughter and music – in fact Dean and Cindy have a variation on the usual PDA (public displays of affection) and for them it is – public dancing anytime. However, on this weekend they have been married for about six years and Dean is now a house painter and Cindy is a nurse. And rounding out their family is their daughter Frankie, whose conception was the impetus for the marriage. The flashbacks and flashnows work well – always knew if I was watching the past or the present. There are obvious problems as seen in the breakfast bickering. Dean wants to save the marriage and his suggestion of a night in a fantasy motel room is met with resistance from Cindy, who is on call, but they do. end up in the outer space room. From there the disintegration proceeds. Not much fun anymore. However, the one funny moment toward the end of the film is when a colleague of Cindy’s says “Oh, you must be Dean.” Her delivery of the phrase seems to sum up everything about the marriage – his lack of ambition and childish ways and her lack of interest in keeping the marriage intact - and evokes laughter of comprehension on part of the audience.
I haven’t seen much of Ryan Gosling’s work - the previous movie I saw was 2004’s “The Notebook” - and for Michelle Williams it was 2005’s “Brokeback Mountain”. Though I don’t have a true basis on which to judge, I think they both do a credible job in “Blue Valentine” and have some acting nominations for the roles of Dean and Cindy to back it up. It’s a film that should be seen and please don’t be afraid of the flashbacks and flashnows – you won’t be lost within the film. The take away from the film, other than the usual “don’t get married just because of an unexpected pregnancy”, is “don’t become romantically involved with someone who has significantly less education than you do”.
I leave the screening while the credits are still rolling because, of the late start, I’m afraid I might miss my bus home and therefore I miss the Q&A session with producers Lynette Howell and Jamie Patricof. Unfortunately, I see a bus at the bus stop as I exit the building and of course, I’m unable to cross the street in time to catch it. Waiting once again this evening, but this time with home as the goal.
Film Facts: Director/Writer: Derek Cianfrance, Writers: Joey Curtis, Cami Delavigne, Cinematographer: Andrij Parekh, Editors: Jim Helton, Ron Patane, Musician: Joe Rudge, Producers: Doug Dey, Carrie Fix, Lynette Howell, Jack Lechner, Alex Orlovsky, Jamie Patricof, Rena Ronson, Production Companies: Hunting Lane Films, Silverwood Films
Film Type: Drama, Romance, Cast: Ryan Gosling (Dean), Michelle Williams (Cindy), Mike Vogel (Bobby), John Doman (Jerry Heller), Ben Shenkman (Sam Feinberg), Reila Aphrodite (Mary), Faith Wladyka (Frankie Periera), Samii Ryan (Amanda), Robert Eckard (Father), Michelle Nagy (Music Teacher), Dan Van Wert (Bus Passenger), Eileen Rosen (Mimi), Tamara Torres (Maria Guevara), Maryann Plunkett (Glenda), Carey Westbrook (Charlie), Length: 120’, Language: English, Country: United States, Year: 2010
Film Trailer
United States release date Friday 31 December 2010
Images:
Left: Ryan Gosling as Dean and Michelle Williams as Cindy from the website cinemablend.com
Center: Graphic interpretation of “Blue Valentine” created by Adrean Darce Brent
Right: “Blue Valentine” poster from the website filmtotaal.nl
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