★ 6 / 10
**A vacation, an inspiration for the writing and
Reno
**A vacation, an inspiration for the writing and a complete makeover.** The fourth directional venture for Angelina Jolie, she also wrote it and her real life…
**A vacation, an inspiration for the writing and a complete makeover.**
The fourth directional venture for Angelina Jolie, she also wrote it and her real life husband, Brad Pitt starred the screenspace with her in the lead character. This is a tale of a struggling writer who goes to a French seaside resort for an inspiration to write a new material. He takes his wife along and in the peaceful environment, seems they're doing well, until a newly married couple arrive for their honeymoon in their next door. All the complication surface and the old secrets are revealed, so that's how the film sets up and ends.
I don't know what's with Jolie lately, she's not doing many films as she was before. Maybe her parenting commitment took over her acting career. Good to see her back, but seeing this film and its story, I feel she's really suffering that I don't know what it is. Some day in the near future if someone makes a film about her, that will reveal this time of her life. Anyway, they both looked great on the screen, but very sad they are parting away.
This is not some awesome story with twist and turns, just a straightforward drama, mostly the midlife crises in a married life. So here the performances were top notch, other than that is the beautiful locations. It's a two hour long film, not everybody feel comfortable with that, because the pace was very slow and the story is not that interesting. Particularly this film is not for the youngsters, but that does not mean all the grown-up would enjoy it either. Only some people find it better and for me this is an okay film.
_6/10_
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★ 6 / 10
Ultra slow-moving relationship drama finds a pulse in the second half
paul-allaer
"By The Sea" (2015 release; 122 min.) brings the story of married couple Roland (played by Brad Pitt) and Vanessa (played by Angeline Jolie). As the move…
"By The Sea" (2015 release; 122 min.) brings the story of married couple Roland (played by Brad Pitt) and Vanessa (played by Angeline Jolie). As the move opens, we see them driving in a gorgeous 1960s Citroen convertible somewhere in the south of France, while Jane Birkin's "Jane B" is blasting on the radio. Roland and Vanessa find an agreeable spot close by the sea and decide to stay there. Eventually another married couple (some years younger, though) ends up in the hotel room next to Vanessa and Roland, not aware that Vanessa found a peep hole, allowing them to look in the other room. To tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.
Couple of comments: this is the third movie in the last 3 years directed by Angelina Jolie (she also wrote the script), but the first one where she directs herself (and Brad). It's been exactly 10 years since Angelina and Brad co-starred (ironically also in a struggling marriage, but of a very different kind!). If it sounds from my introductory lines that a lot is happening in the movie, think again. This is an ultra-slow moving film. You would think that this would allow us to get to know these characters, but alas, that is not the case either. We know virtually nothing as to why the marriage is in trouble, and can only speculate why Vanessa seems depressed, if not worse, and why Roland is experiencing writer's block. Despite all that, the movie does find some traction in the second half, just in the nick of time, frankly. The movie's photography is drop-dead gorgeous (filmed in Malta, that stood in as the south of France). The movie features a number of big French movie stars, including Melvil Poupaud and the beautiful Melanie Laurent (as the other married couple) and Niels Arestrup (as the café tender). There is a ton of great music featured in the movie, both in the musical score, as well as French songs from that era (think Serge Gainsbourg, Jane Birkin, Jacques Dutronc, Sheila, etc.).
"By The Sea" opened this weekend at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati, and since I don't expect this to play in theaters very long, I went to see it right away. The Saturday early evening screening where I saw this at was attended dismally (4 people, including myself). I can't say it surprised me as the vibe around this movie has not been great. I nevertheless was curious about it (due to a clever trailer, frankly). If you are interested in catching a slow-moving relationship drama that is way off-center, I encourage you this give this a try, be it in the theater (better hurry!), on VAD or eventually on DVD/Blu-ray.
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seeds needed