Love is Strange

[prettyxcool]

Went to the special screening tonight of Love is Strange at the Odeon Covent Garden, thanks again to ritamistry. We were offered a glass of wine before the screening. Nice to see davewatts there.

A very slow, quiet and understated film, with very good performances from John Lithgow and Albert Molina, as the couple in a long term relationship. Also good support from Marisa Tomei and Charlie Tahan, who plays her coming of age son.

Loved the score all the way through, classical music by Chopin, really contributes to the film, making it touching, heartfelt, thoughtful, about life, love, relationships, family, and ageing. Shame about the weak plot.

Spoiler

Show

Why did they not rent out the apartment, rather then sell and so quickly too, making themselves homeless, surely it's better to stay together, even if having to move in with their friend out in Poughkeepsie.

7/10

OH really enjoyed this, and thought it was a really good film, he gives this 8/10

[FBS]

Saw this at LFF. Wonderfully understated film about the trials of romance in later years. Heartbreaking and heartwarming. A real gem of a movie with such captivating lead performances. We can all relate to at least one character in the film.

[stuartboy]

How dreary! This film was about as exciting as watching grass grow. In winter. In the pitch black. With a blindfold on. I mean even the initial wedding scene that just dragged without ever giving us any character development was so.........yawn..........oh - where was I again? Oh who really cares.
This film was devoid of any humour whatsoever, and only a minuscule amount of a plot.
Definitely a contender for the worst film of the year do far. Even beats the goats in the cable car. This was goats in a bunk bed!

2/10

[alythonian]

I liked this it was quiet and melancholy with a beautiful soundtrack. It was well acted by the 2 leads.
It was let down by some poor piano miming, some out of time conducting and a score that wasn't the same as the piece playing, but that didn't annoy me too much, just attention to detail would have been nice.
I liked the fact it didn't really do anything and didn't really go anywhere it really was just a couple of months in the lives of .....
On other hand, OH hated it. He tjought it was dull and dreary and a complete waste of their and his time plus he hated the "plinky plonk" of the piano!

6.5/10 from me and 2/10 from him!

[chelle1973]

Zzzzzzzzz! Dull & boring. 3/10.......Their relationship was quite sweet though!

[Beate]

I am in two minds about this too. It was a gentle story without too much plot, nicely acted by everyone. The only problem was that the whole scenario felt so alien to me.

Even if the church apparently does not love their sinners enough to let them stay music teachers, surely there must be some anti-discrimination laws forbidding this? Does the US not have them? Also, do they not have any benefits system whatsoever if someone loses their job?

How come the two of them were immediately broke? Did they not have any savings? The mortgage must have been crippling as they got nearly nothing back after selling up, what with Tax D taking 25% of any profit after Tax A, B and C had been deducted. Their property laws seem to be very complicated, as are all the rules of getting selected to take part in a lottery drawing for accommodation. The only bit of good news seem to be those rent-controlled apartments.

So, yeah, the premise of the film is ok but there wasn't much substance, the property dilemma didn't make sense to me and it didn't tug on my heartstrings, especially after some of the plot seemed to have taken place off-camera.

6/10

[alythonian]

I am in two minds about this too. It was a gentle story without too much plot, nicely acted by everyone. The only problem was that the whole scenario felt so alien to me.

Even if the church apparently does not love their sinners enough to let them stay music teachers, surely there must be some anti-discrimination laws forbidding this? Does the US not have them? Also, do they not have any benefits system whatsoever if someone loses their job?

How come the two of them were immediately broke? Did they not have any savings? The mortgage must have been crippling as they got nearly nothing back after selling up, what with Tax D taking 25% of any profit after Tax A, B and C had been deducted. Their property laws seem to be very complicated, as are all the rules of getting selected to take part in a lottery drawing for accommodation. The only bit of good news seem to be those rent-controlled apartments.

So, yeah, the premise of the film is ok but there wasn't much substance, the property dilemma didn't make sense to me and it didn't tug on my heartstrings, especially after some of the plot seemed to have taken place off-camera.

6/10

Sadly that seems to have been a pretty accurate take of Manhattan property law. The protected rents are getting rarer and not surprisingly the landlords look for any excuse to get tenants on them out and to get onto the more modern non protected systems, really why most people in Manhattan normal ones anyway can only afford to live in a shoebox sized flat. Think Friends and why Monica could have that big flat only because it has been her grandmothers or some other relative.
America is notorious for its lack of a welfare state and really has nothing like what we have here in the UK for pensioners or the unemployed.
The U.S. record on discrimination on minorities probably speaks for itself.
The EU may heap loads of unnecessary regulation on member states but things like employment, free movement of workers, non discrimination are all for the good.

[biggins]

As stuartboy would say - Meh! Pretty slow going and never seemed to achieve anything. 3/10

[TheDude]

Well it worked for me, thought it was very good, a subtle, bittersweet low-key drama with two excellent lead performances from Molina and Lithgow. I don't mind a film where nothing much happens, there's still plenty to enjoy. The ending could have been more satisfying but still it's 7/10.

[nosila50]

I am with the Modfather on this one...... spent the film asking myself the same questions as to how they could be so broke so quick and why could he not appeal his sacking. In the piano scene with the young girl he is heard constructing the letter to parents saying if they are not happy with the decision then do something......... they obviously didnt. I felt there was no point to the storyline and it was watchable but certainly not memorable.

Now if they could have played the piano like the guy played the drums in the brilliant 'Whiplash' then it could have been a different story.

4/10