Blue Valentine

Locations
Call Number: DVD Drama Blue
On Shelf At: Traverwood Branch, Westgate Branch

Location & Checkout Length	Call Number	Checkout Length	Item Status
Traverwood Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD Drama Blue	1-week checkout	On Shelf
Westgate Adult A/V 1-week checkout	DVD Drama Blue	1-week checkout	On Shelf

DVD release of the 2010 motion picture.
John Doman, Michelle Williams, Ryan Gosling.
An honest, moving and uninhibited love story. The uncompromising portrait of Dean and Cindy, a young married couple who have grown apart, taking one night away from their daughter to try to save their relationship. Highlighted by provocative scenes alternately intimate and intense, the film captured audiences and critics alike.
DVD ; anamorphic widescreen (1.66:1) presentation ; Dolby digital 5.1 surround.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS

bad movie submitted by codyson159 on July 9, 2011, 2:14pm so boring! just another knock off!

Sad...but good submitted by crazypockets on December 9, 2011, 4:12pm An incredibly sad story, and beautifully-made. The performances in it are outstanding (not surprising Michelle Williams was nominated for an Oscar). This is a very carefully choreographed, emotional roller-coaster, and it will keep you going up and down through the almost two hour running time. It details the life of a relationship by interspersing flashbacks throughout. The cinematography is fairly different, and the soundtrack is unique and good. The only major complaint I had (beyond being a tad emotionally drained at the end) would be with the female character's portrayal. Gosling's character gets to be the quintessential, fun-loving (though admitedly at times obnoxious and overbearing) good guy, while Williams' devolves into a distant, icy, put-upon housewife for seemingly no reason. It looks like the filmmakers make a vague attempt to explain this through backstory, but in the end, it felt like she got the brunt of the blame through the depiction of her overreactive coldness.
Still, an artistic, touching movie that is worth seeing.

So, so sad submitted by emjane on July 14, 2012, 9:25pm After watching Blue Valentine, I felt like I would never be happy again.

Cindy (Michelle Williams) and Dean’s (Ryan Gosling) marriage is falling apart. Cindy is frustrated with Dean’s childishness and his lack of initiative despite his talent. Dean wants to do all he can to make the marriage work, but his progress is often set back by his alcoholism and extreme jealousy. All of these issues are further complicated because the two have a daughter: the incredibly adorable Frankie (Faith Wladyka). Dean’s last-ditch effort to save the marriage by taking Cindy to a motel (and leaving Frankie with her grandfather) is intersperced with events from the past that brought the two together in the first place.

Cindy and Dean are both three-dimensional characters—neither fit a complete stereotype, and both of their points of view are understandable. Gosling and Williams’ performances are spot-on; their emotions and actions are raw and believable. I cared for both of them and wanted for them both to somehow get what they were hoping for, making it all the more heartbreaking when I realized (early on) that it was impossible.

There’s no question that Blue Valentine was a well-made movie, but the experience of watching it was not worth it—at least not for me.

Packs a Punch submitted by ima_rom on July 15, 2012, 5:21am Extremely well done.

so sad submitted by rebecca.perreault on June 17, 2020, 3:38pm emotionally engaging and heart wrenching performances