The end of a relationship is never easy, never mutual and never forgettable. Blue Valentine, a powerful, raw and all real examination into the making and breaking of a marriage makes this explicitly clear. The always excellent Ryan Gosling and Michele Williams deliver startling realistic performances throughout the films duration showing what it’s like to be in and out of love with one another. The film is similar in structure, though far less optimistic, than 500 Days of Summer as it flashes back and forth between the beginning and the end of the characters relationship.
It’s a film that divided the audience that I sat in, half the cinema was bored, no doubt due to the gentle pacing and bleak tone, the other half where the ones that remained in the cinema whilst the credits rolled feeling as broken as the characters on screen. Make no doubt about it; Blue Valentine is not an easy ride, nor overtly entertaining. What you get is a startlingly honest look at how individuals can make life heaven or hell for each other.
Complaints have been made that the film never makes it clear why the couple’s marriage is breaking down, but that’s because the characters aren’t sure themselves. Their fractures are seen through their body language, their abject sexual chemistry and eventually their harsh unforgiving dialogue. The films flashbacks provide relief, a few laughs and some warming romance, but eventually these flashbacks are heartbreaking to watch as the audience realises how naive the couple are to where they are heading.
Verdict
If 127 hours was a transcendent film in that it made you feel the pain of losing an arm, this film makes you feel the pain of losing a partner. It is a hard film to recommend for a good night out, but one worth watching for two of the most honest and open performances in a decade.
****
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