Blue valentine

Extremely well done.

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.

Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling are electrifying together.

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 boring! just another knock off!