Blue Valentine

  I'm so glad that all these indie movies are playing at the bigger theaters. I know its because of the Oscar hype, but it gives a lot of my friends a chance to see movies they normally wouldn't. I guess the opportunity is always there with at least five independent movie theaters in the Boston area. But for some it wouldn't even occur to them that any of these movies are worth seeing. And to be honest, I enjoy the comfy seats, and large screens at the bigger cinemaplex.

"Blue Valentine" is a dark drama about a couple who have come to a point in their relationship where they are broken-hearted, empty shells going through the motions of life, doing what they must to survive in the same house. While Dean and Cindy go about their day, looking for their dog, fixing breakfast for their daughter, Frankie, and going to work, it seems they are living in separate worlds. Dean, hoping to go back to the time where he and his wife were still connected, makes plans for the two of them to spend the night at a sleazy theme hotel. It is there that the couple's exhausted emotions surface into a cold abyss of hurt feelings and resentment.

Throughout the night, as Dean tries to break away his wife's surface and force some type of intimacy between them and Cindy tries avoid Dean's touch, we are shown flashbacks of when the couple first met. The scenes are so beautiful and romantic that it makes the flash-forward that much more painful. How could they have lost so much in just a few years? It's like looking at a wedding photo album right after a divorce, which is exactly why I don't recommend seeing this film on a first date or if you're recovering from a break-up or divorce.

"Blue Valentine" is really amazing. It was real - not over dramatized. I loved their night in the "The Future Room."  It was so cold, like the inside of one of those 50's movie space crafts... everything tinted blue. The lighting reminded me of when the lights are turned on in a club.  After a night of drinking and sweating, things don't look so good anymore.  Well, there were no exceptions for these two beautiful young actors. It's nice to know they were willing to sacrifice vanity for good art. But this was just a small factor in the magnitude of the performances by Michelle Williams and Ryan Gosling. I can't imagine how difficult some of these scenes would have been to film. They were difficult to watch.

I believe Michelle Williams and the writer/director, Derek Cianfrance, are both very worthy of Oscar nominations. However, I think there were bits of the dialogue that made me feel like it wasn't original enough to win for best screenplay.  As far as best actress and best director, well, I think the competition was just too tough this year. I don't think there have ever been so many best picture nominees in one year before. It should be an exciting show!