The SF&F genre in Hollywood seems to be under the following curse: "How can one create good SciFi, when the huge special effects budget leaves nothing for good writers, directors, actors, etc.?" So, it's good that every once in a while a movie comes along to remind us all what good SF&F is all about. It's not about the special effects (which this movie lacks almost completely). SF&F is a sharp blade that cuts through the most complicated and delicate topics by use of allegory, thereby making its way straight into our hearts and minds, bypassing all our defenses, prejudices and preconceptions. Here, this blade is directed towards the nature of romantic relationships. It's amazing how, after so many decades of Hollywood movies regurgitating the old boy-meets-girl formula at us, a movie that comes out in 2009 can still make us feel "Wow. FINALLY somebody got this one right."
The treatment of romantic relationships (and the lighter treatment of other types of relationships) presented in this movie is the most keen and insightful study of the topic I have ever seen on film. Henry and Clare DeTamble's relationship is a walk-through of this topic. We see how, despite being clearly meant for each other, the two experience the problems of an asymmetrical first encounter, the need to bolt when they realize "I only just met you, and already you want me to spend my whole life with you?"; they feel the rush of euphoria when their preconceptions of romance are met with real life, and the crash when life doesn't stand up to its preconceived idealization. We learn, through the DeTambles, that no matter how long you've been with anyone, you'll never truly understand the world he inhabits. This will leave you stranded when your partner goes off to where you cannot follow, to places and activities you barely understand. At other times it is exhilarating, because no matter how well you complete each-other's sentences, your partner will always continue to surprise you, sometimes seeming to appear out of nowhere where and when you least expected to see him.
This is real life, and is only the tip of the iceberg of what can be seen and learned here, in only 107 minutes of film.
I saw this movie and felt that I have lived the things it talks about. It's not a perfect movie. Don't go to it if you're looking for some light entertainment. Despite the categorization into "SciFi", you will not see here anybody rushing to save the world or super-bombs exploding. It is also not a competition for movies like "When Harry Met Sally", because it doesn't try to be glib and witty about the idiosyncrasies of human life. It just tries to describe human life for what it is, so that you won't miss it when it happens to you.
I was apprehensive going into this movie: Eric Bana isn't my favorite actor and I wasn't sure Rachel McAdams would handle the complexities of her character well, either. (It seems that the Hollywood Boy-Meets-Girl genre is under a similar curse to that of SF&F. It is: "How can we make a good romantic movie, when the budget for big-name stars leaves nothing for writers, directors, a supporting cast, etc.?" I guess this movie escaped that fate by not casting Angelina Jolie and (executive producer) Brad Pitt in the titular roles.) I was, going in, pretty sure this will be a botched up chick-flick with some fantasy thrown in to give the guys something to do while they munch on their popcorn. In other words, I expected another "Benjamin Button", where time in the theater not only seemed to slow down to a halt, but actually started ticking backwards.
It was anything but.
Bruce Joel Rubin's screen-play is top notch. Director Robert Schwentke handles the subtleties brilliantly, never letting us get distracted from the main topic. The actors -- all of them -- inhabit their characters perfectly and deserve a standing ovation. Go see this movie. It's not without its dark moments, but then again, neither is life, and this movie reminds us what makes it so worth living. As for me, I'll be going to buy the book. I've never heard of it prior to seeing the movie, but it just made my must-read list.
The treatment of romantic relationships (and the lighter treatment of other types of relationships) presented in this movie is the most keen and insightful study of the topic I have ever seen on film. Henry and Clare DeTamble's relationship is a walk-through of this topic. We see how, despite being clearly meant for each other, the two experience the problems of an asymmetrical first encounter, the need to bolt when they realize "I only just met you, and already you want me to spend my whole life with you?"; they feel the rush of euphoria when their preconceptions of romance are met with real life, and the crash when life doesn't stand up to its preconceived idealization. We learn, through the DeTambles, that no matter how long you've been with anyone, you'll never truly understand the world he inhabits. This will leave you stranded when your partner goes off to where you cannot follow, to places and activities you barely understand. At other times it is exhilarating, because no matter how well you complete each-other's sentences, your partner will always continue to surprise you, sometimes seeming to appear out of nowhere where and when you least expected to see him.
This is real life, and is only the tip of the iceberg of what can be seen and learned here, in only 107 minutes of film.
I saw this movie and felt that I have lived the things it talks about. It's not a perfect movie. Don't go to it if you're looking for some light entertainment. Despite the categorization into "SciFi", you will not see here anybody rushing to save the world or super-bombs exploding. It is also not a competition for movies like "When Harry Met Sally", because it doesn't try to be glib and witty about the idiosyncrasies of human life. It just tries to describe human life for what it is, so that you won't miss it when it happens to you.
I was apprehensive going into this movie: Eric Bana isn't my favorite actor and I wasn't sure Rachel McAdams would handle the complexities of her character well, either. (It seems that the Hollywood Boy-Meets-Girl genre is under a similar curse to that of SF&F. It is: "How can we make a good romantic movie, when the budget for big-name stars leaves nothing for writers, directors, a supporting cast, etc.?" I guess this movie escaped that fate by not casting Angelina Jolie and (executive producer) Brad Pitt in the titular roles.) I was, going in, pretty sure this will be a botched up chick-flick with some fantasy thrown in to give the guys something to do while they munch on their popcorn. In other words, I expected another "Benjamin Button", where time in the theater not only seemed to slow down to a halt, but actually started ticking backwards.
It was anything but.
Bruce Joel Rubin's screen-play is top notch. Director Robert Schwentke handles the subtleties brilliantly, never letting us get distracted from the main topic. The actors -- all of them -- inhabit their characters perfectly and deserve a standing ovation. Go see this movie. It's not without its dark moments, but then again, neither is life, and this movie reminds us what makes it so worth living. As for me, I'll be going to buy the book. I've never heard of it prior to seeing the movie, but it just made my must-read list.