Recently, Alliance Films offered the Fourth Floor tix to a screening of Blue Valentine. We happily accepted and raced each other to the theatre.
Why should you see this movie? Ryan Gosling. The end.
Jokes! There’s more to this flick than a pretty man-face. Much more.
We loved Blue Valentine. It was gritty, real, tough, sweet, and utterly charming at moments. At other moments, it was heartbreaking. There were more than a few tears in the audience.
The film focuses on Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams), a couple with a young daughter, a golden retriever and an unhappy marriage. The story of their relationship is told through flashbacks juxtaposed with scenes from their current life.
They seemed fated to be together, and watching Dean and Cindy fall in love is so enjoyable. Their beginning is sweet, sincere and happy.
Dean and Cindy’s relationship doesn’t keep its golden glow forever. It’s so sad to see how life changes such a strong love.
It was interesting to see how the appearances of Williams and Gosling change throughout the film as they age. They go from young, attractive and glowing, to older and looking like life had finally just… gotten to them.
The four of us who saw the film could relate to it in different ways, and it left us thinking long and hard about the relationships in our lives. Here are our thoughts:
Christina: Although Blue Valentine didn’t make me cry (like most of the audience), I immensely enjoyed this film. Going home later that evening, and for two days following the film, I’ve found my mind drifting back to the story of romantic relationship turned cold. Looking forward to seeing it again (perhaps even in theatres).
Rachelle: The movie made my heart swell and my eyes cry. It was a very honest portrayal of a couple facing real life happening and love fading. Sad, but true.
Abby: It made me really think about my relationship with my fiance, how similar our relationship was (in some ways) to the young Dean and Cindy, and how much I don’t want to become the older version of them. It’s scary to see how easily a relationship can crumble away, even with the best beginning. It’s cliché, but true – love isn’t enough.
Lara: The acting was superb, and the story was incredibly easy to relate to. The sensitive man with philosophical depth is so attractive to women at the beginning of the relationship and good “on paper” qualities we look for are often thrown out the window as a result. However, these characteristics that attract women in the beginning can end up being turn-offs in the long run; this was the case in Blue Valentine. Watching their relationship unfold was a reminder of my first boyfriend and our relationship. With no resolution at the end, I was left feeling sombre watching a relationship turn sour. What can I say, I’m an eternal optimist!
Go see this (but not with someone you just started dating). Then, run home and hug the one you love.
RIB 2 