This film is such a fantastic character study with amazing acting and directing. Hearing all the hype about the film coming into Oscars season, I had to go out and watch it. From the trailer I expected a slow story with some good acting but overall I thought to myself, "This is a movie that will put me right to sleep." However, I found myself glued to the screen by the superb skills of this seemingly classic cinematic piece.
With Hollywood's overuse of blockbuster plots and large-scale special effects, it was quite refreshing to see this film. Focusing on two subtle characters, the acting is far from boring. In a review of the film, Room, I said that Brie Larson must win the best actress Oscar. Now I am having second thoughts. While I believe that Larson's performance was physically challenging, it seems that Charlotte Rampling's performance in 45 Years was just superb acting. This one truly is a toss-up and now I wouldn't mind if Brie won or lost as long as Charlotte or Brie win.
Finally, the direction in this film is quite unique. For a film that is built through dialogue, keeping the audience's attention can be hard at times. Andrew Haigh helps us as we follow the relationship of the two senior citizens. One of my favorite shots was peering out of the window at the couple talking. With such a dynamic script, I never felt myself nodding off or losing focus. Finally, you must see this movie for the final scene. One of the most intense build-ups in modern cinema shows why this film is so critically acclaimed. No, those reviews are not over-exaggerated, this film truly is near-perfect.
The Bottom Line: Go see this film even if the subject matter seems boring!
Score: 9.5/10
With Hollywood's overuse of blockbuster plots and large-scale special effects, it was quite refreshing to see this film. Focusing on two subtle characters, the acting is far from boring. In a review of the film, Room, I said that Brie Larson must win the best actress Oscar. Now I am having second thoughts. While I believe that Larson's performance was physically challenging, it seems that Charlotte Rampling's performance in 45 Years was just superb acting. This one truly is a toss-up and now I wouldn't mind if Brie won or lost as long as Charlotte or Brie win.
Finally, the direction in this film is quite unique. For a film that is built through dialogue, keeping the audience's attention can be hard at times. Andrew Haigh helps us as we follow the relationship of the two senior citizens. One of my favorite shots was peering out of the window at the couple talking. With such a dynamic script, I never felt myself nodding off or losing focus. Finally, you must see this movie for the final scene. One of the most intense build-ups in modern cinema shows why this film is so critically acclaimed. No, those reviews are not over-exaggerated, this film truly is near-perfect.
The Bottom Line: Go see this film even if the subject matter seems boring!
Score: 9.5/10
