I love movies that force me to follow them into an abyss of uncertainty or even a kind of mysterious ambiguity. Derek Cianfrance's "Blue Valentine" does exactly that, but in a much more emotionally manipulative way than most films that consciously leave plot details, or in this case, conclusions, unclear. The film takes the old adage that "love is blind" and forces us to hinge on both the negative and positive aspects of it.
Cianfrance, whom apparently spent numerous years writing the script and choreographing the visual style of the film, throws us into the lives of Dean (Ryan Gosling, in another bravura-knockout role) and Cindy (Michelle Williams, also fantastic, in an Oscar nominated role), a married couple with a small daughter, currently on the sexual rocks of their relationship. We move back in time with them too, witnessing the birth of their relationship; the passionate intensity that informed their early sexual encounters.
In both time-frames we are forced to consider a number of questions: In the earlier setting we ask what extent idealism is informing Dean and Cindy's early notions of true love, and in the latter, we begin to question what happens when that idealism fades away and reality sets in. Essentially, the film forces viewers to witness the creation of a prototypical version of love, then its destruction.
This film has been subject to some weirdly intense controversy regarding its sex scenes. In this reviewer's view, there is no controversy; the sex scenes in this film (especially the controversial one in question) are pretty much un-erotic for the viewer. They remain cold, and objective.
I saw this film too late, in early 2011. It's certainly one of the best films of last year and a very challenging, impeccably made, acted and written love-drama.
Let's hope Cianfrance is someone we can look forward to in the future.
-CC
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