Blue Valentine (2010)

Blue Valentine, 2010, Film. Directed by Derek CIANFRANCE.
USA: Incentive Filmed Entertainment

This is a film that was introduced to me about 8 months ago by my A2 Film teacher as an attempt to inspire me for my creative coursework and that is exactly what it was to me. Inspiring.

Blue Valentine is a romance drama and an honest love story that follows the love life and marriage of the couple Dean and Cindy that is so convincingly portrayed by Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. At first life seems easy for the cute couple. She’s immoral and realistic whilst he is cheeky and caring. But when Cindy discovers she’s pregnant by a former boyfriend Cindy and Dean are brought together in a way that will ultimately ruin them. From here on, everyday disappointments are a cause for bitterness and hatred. Cindy becomes frustrated and emotionally unavailable as Dean’s lack of ambition and laid-back attitude clearly becomes too much for her. She is the breadwinner whilst he chooses to be a stay at home dad as an excuse not to work.

Director Derek Cianfrance, along with Cinematographer Andrij Parekh, creates an effective film not just through the characters but through construction. He steadily cross cuts the present and the past, brutally contrasting scenes of disturbance with brightly lit romance creating an admirable narrative and showing the audience that it is  lack of understanding and forgiveness that is tearing the couple apart. The actors give such a strong, heartfelt performance as they show sturdy commitment but sufficient restraint to keep you listening and no matter what happens, you are never distracted from the heart of the matter. The effective script makes interactions between the characters seem very natural giving the entire situation a very credible feel that makes Blue Valentine seem that much more genuine. Hand held shots and close ups are used frequently in the past sequences illustrating the intimate connection between Dean and Cindy whilst the natural colours and lighting contrasts well with the artificiality of the hotel room scenes, reflecting the changes in their relationship.

Blue Valentine is about anxiety, married life and how (to quote Gosling’s character) we always hurt the ones we love. This quiet, intense, tragedy elicits a strong emotional response as it crushes the myth of cinematic love and portrays relationships in an authentic way, creating painful realism that you will rarely see anywhere else. This is definitely not a date movie and unless you’re in a secure relationship is really something better off watched alone but it is an honest, visually beautiful film that I have found to be truly memorable.

Recommend to: Film fans

                        Anyone that appreciates good cinematography

                        Fans of the actors

                        Anyone that likes straightforward, honest, love stories