Hope Springs [2012]

Hope Springs is an easy romantic comedy, directed by David Frankel and written by Vanessa Taylor. It follws the story of Kay and Arnold, played by Meryl Streep and Tommy Lee Jones, a married couple who, after 31 years, don't have any passion or interest left to keep them together. Kay decides to change things and books a 1 week intensive program with doctor Feld played by Steve Carrell, hoping that her husband will learn to love and touch her again.

Hope Springs has an interesting script, a little bit static, but if you like in-depth analysis of relationships or personalities, then this is the movie for you. Moreover, it's a character study of the in and outs of people and some of their sessions are actually really interesting to witness, since thy uncover not only feelings and past situations, but also character traits and reasons behind some of the actions.

Although it is heavy on analysis, it does also feature funny, very awkwards scenes, that sometimes make you cringe, because well, they are older, and you feel like your parents could be like that, too. The cinema or the hotel room are just two examples of those kinds of moments.

Performance wise, as you would expect from a cast like this, eveything runs smoothly. Meryl Streep is just fascinated to watch; she plays a woman that does and knows everything, in the perfect housewife way, but hasn't actually experienced life. In one of the sessions, when she's tearing up, there is a close-up on the expression on her face- she showed years of experience and talent through one look, and that's just something that very few actresses nowadays can do; I love her. Tommy Lee Jones is Arnold, her husband, a very grumpy, complaining man, who's oblivious to his marriage problems. His chemistry with Streep was very good and believable and they worked perfectly with Steve Carrell, the third major actor. He gave a surprising performance, as he played a very serious part- I was actually expecting him to crack a joke or do something stupid, but no, he maintained his part throughout the movie and it kind of worked.

Overall, Hope Springs is a good movie that will make your night more pleasant, but of which you will forget in a day or two. Still worth checking it out, but maybe on DVD.

Weekend [2011]

Weekend is probably one of the best British movie that was released in 2011. It tells the bittersweet story of two men who end up sleeping together, after a drunken night spent in a gay club, but decide to continue their  little fling, as more emotions and feelings come to surface.

Written, edited and directed by Andrew Haigh, this movie is simple in storyline, yet complex in his characters and speaks volumes on gay relationships and how they are perceived in today's world; but, at the end of the day, it's a romance, a love story between two men, told in a beautiful, touching, realistic way and you can't stop being attached to them and caring for both at the end of the film.

The two male leads, Tom Cullen and Chris New, deliver great performances and have perfect chemistry, which can be hard, considering it is a gay relationship- their interaction, paired with realistic dialogue, makes you believe every second of the time spent together. I don't know if the two actors are gay in real life, but if they aren't, more props to them- the film features at least 2 rather explicit sex scenes and I guess it was a delicate, strange situation to be in for any actor. Tom Cullen plays Russell, a sweet, shy, introvert lifeguard who doesn't like to talk about his sexuality and is too kind; Chris New is Glen, an outspoken art student who is an advocate for gay rights and believes America is the answer. You might think you have them figured out, but one of the best things about the story is to see how their character develop and, more than that, you get to learn more about their past and how it influenced the present. It's very interesting.

I liked the fact that Haigh tried to make things as normal and real as they could get, because the viewers were able to see the whole romance-love story thing happen for gay people, and I think that is more interesting and somehow, it has a bigger impact on viewer. Maybe because of the topic, maybe because it involves two people of the same sex, or just maybe because there aren't too many films portraying gay love- not like this, anyway. Yes, there was dirty talk, it had sex, drugs and alcohol were involved, and it can shocking and disturbing for some, but it was about more than that.

One of the most  interesting scenes happen in Russell's living room, after the second night spent together, when the two have a serious discussion: first, they talk about the gay culture and how they are perceived in the world, and after, they share their stories and feelings, but mostly, they realize they see and want different things from their life. For some, that will be boring, but it maintained my interest, and I loved the fact that you could feel what they were going through and all of their love, desperation, frustration was transmitted through the movie screen into people's minds and souls.

The ending was not typical and that made it ten times better for me. It was bittersweet and sad.

Weekend is my type of movie- interesting characters and new, provocative themes approached, good performances, beautiful cinematography- sometimes I don't need action and elaborate scenes- two people in a room talking can be enough!

I don't know your opinions on gay relationships and I don't know if you like simple, character-driven movies, but if you do, you should definitely see this movie! I personally loved it!

p.s.1 I love the poster and its colors!
p.s.2 The movie is out on DVD and Blu-Ray in UK now!

The Deep Blue Sea [2011]

The Deep Blue Sea is a character-driven movie, more or less. It doesn't focus on story development or action, it just takes us through the life of a couple and its complicated relationship, told mostly from the perspective of the woman, Hester Miller, the wife of a British judge, who starts an affair with Freddie Paige, a Royal Air Force pilot.

It begins with a 10 minute, orchestra music-fulled sequence, back and forth between the present day, where Hester, wonderfully played by Rachel Weisz, tries to comitt suicide, and the old days, when her relationship with Freddie was still fresh and lustful. From the beginning, the viewers can easily observe the beauty and darkness of the cinematography of Florian Hoffmeister, and the intricate, yet dreamy and classic direction of Terence Davies. I still remember a stunning scene which shows the lovers sharing a sweet moment in bed- the music, the way their arms and legs were intertwined, the movement of the camera-it all felt a little sureal and dramatic, and I loved it. I also liked the fact that the movie wasn't very predictable: I thought it was going somewhere, and then it completely changes, moving towards a different direction, and I am instantly intrigued (a good example is the subway scene).

She fails her attempt of taking her life, but still goes back from time to time to her past, her new, exciting, full of love past, that she now longs for. It all started with the need of a better life, one in which she wasn't bored or treated so insensitively, and Freddie just happened to be there to sweep her off her feet; it didn't hurt the fact that he was closer to her age than William, her husband, more than 20 years her senior.

But in the end, nothing in life comes easy and that is what the movie is about. She knew what she was getting into, she knew he couldn't offer what she really wanted, but Hester can't stay away, and chooses to be miserable for some time, in order to have at least a few moments of pure happiness and excitement with Freddie. She does have a chance at tranquility and love, not with Freddie, but with someone who will care for her, but she refuses, all just to hang on for a little while longer of the inexplicable connection and love to Freddie.There are clear differences between them and they both know their relationship is messed up and it probably won't last, but they still come back to each other. Case in point, after he finds her suicide letter, he leaves, but still agrees to come back to pick up his things, after she pleads to him numerous times.

The last morning spent together is awkward, but civilised; you can see and feel there is so much more to be said, but neither one takes the initiative- there is so much meaning behind their words.

The performances were good and higly comandable, but not extraordinary. Rachel Weisz and Tom Hiddleston are great individually, but I didn't buy their connection 100%- but still, the effort is there and the acting is good, especially for what the script requires. That, plus the music, editing, directing, cinematography, costumes, sets- everything fit the genre and the topic very well. It's clean!

I will be honest with you and say most will probably not like this- they will find it boring and useless. But for the few who like character-driven movies, romance, complicated relationships- this is a movie for you to see! I thought it was beautiful!