Day 93 - Blue Valentine

Day 93            Blue Valentine [2010]

                          

Screenplay                    Derek Cianfrance, Cami Delavigne & Joey Curtis

Director                         Derek Cianfrance

Cinematography            Andrij Parekh

Music                            Grizzly Bear

Leads                            Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams

Production                     Hunting Lane Films, Silverwood Films

IMDb                                7.4/10

Rotten Tomatoes                87%

You and me, you and me, nobody baby but you and me. If you love a soul more than fame and gold, and that soul feels the same about you. It's a natural fact, there's no turning back, and here's some advice to you: you've got to say it's you and me, (Ohhh, oh, oh, oh, oh), you and me, nobody baby but you and me. Michelle Williams plus that song nearly gave it a Hall of Film alone. She is brilliant as Cindy in this sad romance about a couple who have lost their relationship somewhere along the way. The chemistry between Williams and Gosling is beautiful to watch, both as a young couple falling in love, and as a struggling married couple. I’ve got to admit I read other film reviews on occasion. Normally Roger Ebert or the Guardian. Ebert summed the characters in this film up so perfectly that I have to quote him: “Dean thinks marriage is the station. Cindy thought it was the train”. Hence their relationship is falling apart, as Dean (Gosling) is fully content with their life, though Cindy wants more, she was swept up in the romance and thought it would last forever. Dean ‘got the girl’ and settled. I like the nonlinear storyline. It juxtaposes the heart-warming love at first sight Cindy and Dean with the five-years-later falling apart Cindy and Dean. We know how they end up, and we slowly learn how they came to be. Cianfrance hints at how they have deteriorated too. Perhaps not so subtly with Gosling’s hairline and drinking, but Williams’ acting is what really produces a feeling amongst the audience that there is something very wrong with their relationship. Again, I should say how great Williams is, I think she is one of my favourite actresses and this performance is why.

Acting                              4 / 4

Writing                          3.5 / 4

Cinematography               3 / 4

Music                            2.5 / 4

HWF rating               3.5 / 4