Seen This Week: I’m Not There (2007) , Friends With Benefits (2011), A Cat in Paris (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012), Indie Game: The Movie (2012), The Deep Blue Sea (2012)
This week I seemed to gravitate to the odd. The artistic, almost poetic films, to the ones about independent video game designers, and a movie that I think may have been about Bob Dylan. It was however, the most fluidly moving of them all that’s stuck with me.
Movie Pick of the Week: The Deep Blue Sea (2012)
Well, what’s it about?
Hester (Rachel Weisz), a wife of a British Judge, is caught amidst a love affair with a Royal Air Forces pilot that begins to slowly tear her life apart. A long suffering woman stuck in marriage of social expectation and convenience, she’s instantly drawn to what appears to be a rambunctious, overtly passionate young man, recounting his glory days. When she falls in a reckless love with this younger man, her lust for an inhabited life overrules her peace of mind. The two run away together and soon turn bitter towards the one another. Hester fears he loves her too little, and Freddie fears she loves him too much. Their lust, his aloof sensibility and childlike behavior, and her vanity and rage at being confined throws themselves into a tailspin of lethal animosity.
Okay, but why should I watch it?
First and foremost, let’s get Rachel Weisz out of the way. She is simply outstanding in this role, so much so it’s surprising how little it’s been talked about. She’s a commanding screen presence who is equally captivating as she is infuriating. The entire time while understanding and emphasizing with her plight, viewers can also see the psychological damage that’s been caused by two men who couldn’t bring themselves to love her in the way she desired. She’s strong yet fragile, fiery but so, so demure when put in a state of desperation. In a year where Jennifer Lawrence is being sincerely mentioned in talks of Oscar contenders for Silver Linings Playbook, it’s baffling that Weisz’s name has only been brought every so often.
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Tom Hiddleson is allowed to show off that he’s capable of being so much more than Tumblr fan girl fodder. He plays Freddie with furious, petulant righteousness. This isn’t a character to root for, nor is it a character to completely dismiss as a bad person. He’s young, he’s foolish and he’s terrible to Hester. However throughout the course of their relationship, Hiddleson showcases his growth from a boy thrust into adulthood who’s scrambling to put together what he thinks his life should be like, to a man who sees the damage two people can cause which leads him to his first real adult decision.
More than any other reason however is just how beautiful this film is. Although all films are technically moving pictures, this film embodies the idea of movies portraying art. Picture yourself walking throughout a museum and taking in all of the paintings decorating the walls. This film is a moving watercolor, softly diluted, characters blending into the scenery except for the odd pop of color. Director Terrence Davies has created a film that is often times so beautiful to look at, it’s distracting.
Who should watch it?
Tom Hiddleson fans that need more movies to moon eye over, fans of powerful performances who have been waiting for a film to utilize Weisz’s gifts, or any fan of theatrical based movies. (Think Closer but without the glitz and glamour to it all.)
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I personally cannot believe I took so long is seeing this film, especially since it’s on Netflix Instant Watch. Check it out before the year’s done.
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