Blue Valentine

[Side Note: This was written a couple weeks ago, prior to any awards or nominations, but just recently posted due to editing issues]

I do not claim to be a "movie critic" but occasionally, I have thoughts on a particular movie that I want to share with you. I recently saw the movie "Blue Valentine" starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. The basic plot of the movie is about a couple and their relationship. Sounds like any other film, right?  The tag line for the film reads "A Love Story" which is perfect because that is exactly what it is. This is a movie about how people meet and how their lives progress through challenges and triumphs. Blue Valentine, however, offers a very different view of a relationship because we are told (in previews and plot summaries) that this is about the disintegration of the couple just as much as it is about how they met and all the years in between.


I personally love a good breakup movie, almost as much as I love a well-told love story. This movie offers us both. Ryan Gosling continues to be my favorite actor in his stunning portrayal of Dean, a man with lots of artistic talent but not much motivation to do anything with it. Michelle Williams is also wonderful in the role of Cindy, a woman whose home life eventually became dysfunctional enough for her to realize she was unhappy. She desires more in life than what she already has. The movie skillfully portrays her viewpoint and illustrates the fact that the decisions she makes aren't always her best. Even when she is aware of the risk, she makes a decision anyway and only the audience is lucky enough to see how it plays out in her relationship with Dean immediately afterward. We all know life changes, but rarely do we get to see just how much we will love/hate the outcome instantly like in "Blue Valentine".




The acting is extraordinary. The "look" of the film is beautifully crafted. The editing was also particularly well done (and this isn't usually something I notice when watching a movie). The editing wasn't just a tool to put the pieces together in telling the story, it was a means of telling the story in a way that helped elevate the emotions of a scene or push the plot to a deeper emotional place than it might have been otherwise. Showing both the beginning and end of a relationship (occasionally it's shown simultaneously in the same shot) offers a heartbreaking look at how our emotions can change depending on the context we find ourselves. Love is a fickle friend that can make us believe we are making the right decisions, but if we were to get a glimpse of the future and how those decisions played out...would we choose that same path?

Overall, this movie was compelling and seductive. It grabbed my attention and didn't let go until the credits rolled. I highly recommend this film to all who enjoy a good story told through a fresh perspective. I have included both posters for the film, each showing the different "emotions or feelings" of the film.One dark and gritty, the other sunny and hopeful.