Film #3
"Blue Valentine"
3/17/2012
Michelle Williams received her first Best Actress Academy Award nomination for her role as Cindy, a young wife, and mother in the 2010 film "Blue Valentine". She stars opposite Ryan Gosling (Dean) who together portray one of the most realistic and heartbreaking relationship stories in years. Directed by Derek Cianfrance, the film was rated NC-17 by the outdated and out of touch morality police who call themselves the MPAA. Once again they argue that human sexuality that is frank and honest is worse than any brutal and bloody torture violence. After an appeal, the film was later downgraded to an "R" rating.
This film is both emotionally painful, but also heartfelt and endearing. It jumps back and forth between the beginning of Cindy and Dean's courtship, marriage, the birth of their daughter Frankie, then there bitter destructive end. Cindy is a hardworking and dedicated nurse while Dean is a house painter. We flashback to see Dean as a happy go lucky guy who meets an pursues Cindy. He is kind, caring and optimistic. We then flash forward to the present and he looks angry, frustrated, and trapped. Cindy tries to keep the family together but always seems to be at odds with him. When Dean suggests they use a long-ignored gift certificate to stay at a romantic fantasy themed hotel things hit a boiling point.
Cindy and Dean's stay in the very appropriately themed future room. The room is pretty sleazy looking with a cold sterile feel and lots of silvers and blues. They get drunk and dance to their song and sort of reconnect but with the issues they've been dealing with will one night save their marriage? As the night goes on the room starts to feel like a prison and they are only left with their problems. We continue to flash back to them as they fall in love, then go through an unplanned pregnancy. Cindy's father has never liked Dean but ultimately wants his daughter so happy. Early the next morning Cindy leaves the hotel room and heads to work. Dean has a breakdown and makes a number of bad decisions leading to the end of the film. This film is pretty heartbreaking and offers no easy answers, it prides itself in being as true to life as possible.
The "Blue Valentine" DVD and Blu-Ray's has a good commentary track as well as deleted scenes and more. Director Derek Cianfrance has also re-teamed with Ryan Gosling in the movie "A Place Beyond the Pines" due out later this year.