This is one of the worst films that was released in 2008. A mistake in nearly every department, I feel like Sam Mendes is trying to become the M. Night Shyamalan of American dramatic filmmaking. The most upsetting thing about it is that I actually find some of the ideas in the film interesting, but I feel obligated to dismiss these ideas because they are housed by such a condescending, melodramatic, and narcissistic film. From the moment Kate Winslet starts acting like a brat and fighting with Leo, my eyes didn’t stop rolling. Constant eye-rolling for two hours. Much like Breillat’s Romance, I felt like I was being forced to sympathize in some way with individuals who subject themselves to a deteriorating relationship, despite the fact that there is obviously no reason why these two people should be together in the first place. The first scene shows Leo and Kate meeting, and then, literally two minutes later they are having a massive argument on their way home that almost results in Leo smacking Kate a good one. Yet, I am suppose to pull for these two to move to Paris so that they can save their marriage?
In their family, Leo pays the bills, and Kate is the house mom. The idea is that they will escape suburbia and move to the lively Paris, where Kate will pay the bills, and Leo will sit at home with ‘time’ and they will live happily ever after. I am also supposed to pull for this scenario, even though I know that it will not solve their unhappiness with each other. Another aggravating thing is that the film blames their broken marriage on suburbia, when the film should be considering that these two individuals have a broken marriage because they are incompatible as partners. I know that everyone loves to blame suburbia for some of the worst problems in America, but it would be more interesting to try and convince me in the film why suburbia is ruining this relationship instead of asking me to assume that since they moved to the suburbs that that is of course the problem. I only began to relate to anyone in the film when Leo fessed up to Kate that he had been seeing another girl, and Kate replied that she didn’t care at all. I didn’t care either!
Horrah! I’m happy that someone else HATED the film as much as I did. I know plenty of folks passively disliked it, but it’s abysmal. I don’t think I even like Kate Winslet any more.
the fact that she won a major award for this film cancels out Rourke and Hawkins’ winnings
And, not to mention that she’s playing the same role she always does, only in this instance, she’s being ridiculed. I’d have rather her won for Titanic than this.
Quick comment: I don’t think Catherine Breillat ever forces anyone to sympathize with her characters. That isn’t her game.
I think that if someone is going to spend 90 minutes watching a couple try to save their relationship, there is an expectation that one is supposed to relate to these people in some way. The characters are talking about their problems as if they are universal, which makes me feel like Breillat is counting on me agreeing with or feeling something for them. It worked in Brief Crossing and didn’t in Romance or Fat Girl
I think Breillat is too theoretical in her films to warrant something like “sympathy.”