Boss Blues
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Hugo Boss Logo decal sticker CHOOSE SIZE / COLOR. $17.50 |
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Hugo Boss Logo decal sticker CHOOSE SIZE / COLOR. $14.50 |
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Hugo Boss Logo decal sticker CHOOSE SIZE / COLOR. $11.50 |
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Blue Valentine Review
First and foremost, let me express how difficult a decision it was to decide that my first article would be a film review. I considered a wealth of alternative topics, but felt that by choosing to review a low-budget, independant film I was choosing a topic that was rich in ‘artistic value’. Or, alternatively, I’ve chosen this topic simply to share with you my views on a film that I feel could be overlooked as one of the films of the year.
Blue Valentine is an intimate film, the sort that makes you feel like a fly on the wall. Generally speaking, it’s about the disintigration of a once budding romance between a hopeless romantic (Dean, played by Ryan Gosling) and an ambitious realist (Cindy, played by Michelle Williams). On paper, it sounds like a very dull alternative to your typical guy-meets-girl romcom. Fear not, though, because it’s a movie that avoids being pidgeon holed and typecast, if not purely because of its quality as a movie.
For those of you who found the latter statement particularly vague, allow me to expand upon my point. For me, a movie should possess three qualities and these are as follows;
- Rich performances from its cast.
- A strong director.
- A compelling and (though not always) believable story that demands your attention.
Blue Valentine, in my opinion, bears these three key attributes and is a quality piece of film-making. Primarily, it is the strentgh of the performances given by Gosling and Williams that give the film its poise and credibility and most reviews that you will read will suggest that it is the performances of the two lead actors that make the film worth seeing. But for me, there is something more to Blue Valentine than Williams and Gosling alone.
The film is director Derek Cianfrance’s third and though I admit to being unfamiliar with his past works, I was both impressed and refreshed by the way in which he conducted the film. The script is real and has a raw character, there are few grandiose declarations of ‘I love you’, instead there is a dialogue that is refreshing because it is so believable. When Dean and Cindy coincidentally find themselves on the same bus, the ways in which they interact with one another makes you feel as if you have been there yourself. Indeed, the closest the film gets to a grand declaration of love is Dean seranading Cindy with a ukelele-led version of ‘You Always Hurt The One You Love’ whilst she tap dances in a shop doorway. It’s a goofy moment that is certainly a little self concious, but it’s a refreshing antidote to the common uttering of those three magical words that are so synomnous with films of this nature, and it’s to Cianfrance’s credit that he searchs for a contrasting way in which Dean and Cindy can be brought together.
Ultimately, what brings Dean and Cindy together, other than their ‘love’ for one another, is a child. This is definitie cliche territory, but it is a poignant twist in the tale as we see how the child becomes itemized in some ways as the film nears its conclusion. There is no doubt that both parents love their child (played by Faith Wladyka), but there is also no doubt that she becomes the rope that binds them together and keeps their marriage intact. The final moment in which this rope, so to speak, is cut and Dean is cast asunder from his family is a heartbreaking piece of cinema. The presence of a child in this love story is also one of the elements that makes Blue Valentine such a convincing tale, for it demonstrates the way in which priorities (children, work, finance etc.) can hold a stale marriage together. For there is no doubt that by the films end, the union of Dean and Cindy has become outdated.
One review I read of this film described it as ‘depressing’, a comment I couldn’t make head nor tail of. Generally speaking, I don’t go to the cinema to feel good about myself but what really confused me was the idea that the reviewer in question, with all due respect, chose to summarize the film in such a way. Blue Valentine is not a feel good film, but it is a very realistic potrayal of married life for two young adults. As mentioned above, Dean and Cindy are brought together by their child rather than their love for one another, though it can’t be said that there relationship is purely sexual. The eventual strain of married life, work commitments and looking after a young girl cultimate to become the death knell of their romance and for me, this is the film’s greatest quality. Married life is not always idyllic, quite the opposite at times. Exterior and interior factors often combine to change the dynamics of a relationship indefinitely, and this is indeed the case in Blue Valentine. It is to the credit of Cianfrance that he has chosen such a portrayal rather than the type-cast variety, romantic ending and all, that is so often inflicted upon us.
Finally, it would be criminal of me to conclude this review without tipping my hat to both Gosling and Williams for their respective performances. Gosling is wonderful as the intense Dean, who we see transform (quite literally) from a handsome day dreamer to a desperate man trying to keep his marriage alive…the receding hairline truly is fantastic (those of you have seen the film will know what I mean!). Williams is perhaps even better as Cindy, who goes from a sexually promiscous youth with high ambitions to be a doctor to a woman that cannot bring herself to make love to her husband and who is trapped in a mundane job with a boss intending to proposition her in return for a promotion. We follow both Dean and Cindy as their lives are turned on their head, giving the film the feel of a warts-and-all documentary, as we see the biological change in both characters (the aforementioned receding hairline and refusal to make love) and the more adressing alteration in character of both individuals. Dean becomes a paranoid drinker whilst Cindy becomes increasingly exasperated by the situation. Both Gosling and Williams are tremendous in their portayal of the couple, and have been rightly recognised with award nominations for their roles.
Blue Valentine is certainly a film you should take the time to see, it may not be the most idyllic of films nor does it boast a glittering all-star cast, but it is most definatly an honest and compelling drama that is relative to everyday life. It also has a fantastic score by Grizzly Bear, which reason enough to go and see it. One thing’s for certain, if you go to observe the caliber of film making and of the performance you won’t go home depressed.
About the Author
I’m currently studying English and Creative Writing at Birmingham City University. I have no published works to date but I am keen to find a platform from which I can become a more productive writer. I will use this website to write articles on a wide variety of subjects and would greatly appreciate any feedback, be it positive or negative.
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Boss Blues Driver