Film Review: Blue Valentine
January 16, 2011 2 Comments
Hollywood released some of 2010’s most uplifting and depressing films in November-December. Movies like 127 Hours, The Fighter, True Grit, and The King’s Speech inspired audiences with hope and joy while Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan thrilled viewers into disheartened submission. Nonetheless, all of those films were remarkably well-made and proved to be effective in affecting the viewer. You could add Derek Cianfrance’s Blue Valentine to this list of outstanding films. It is an extremely hard-to-watch film that is at times tedious and emotionally grueling but at the same time very compelling and provocative. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams give two of the year’s best performances that elevate the film to profound levels.
The following review contains a few moderate spoilers. However, I do not wish to discourage you from reading the review just because it has some spoilers. By no means does the review ruin the film or its best moments; it simply helps to set the record straight as to what this film is actually about – the poster may say “A Love Story,” but do not go into this film expecting an romantic fantasy or uplifting tale about love. Instead, expect a genuinely honest and heartbreaking elegy.