The story isn't exactly new, about a couple Dean (Gosling) and Cindy (Williams) who are at crossroads in their life, constantly fighting and leaving us wondering when it's going to end, despite Dean's attempts to coax his wife back. They got married young because she was pregnant, and now they've grown up - well Cindy has, but Dean is still ever as playful as he was. Sick of his drinking and child-like behavior, Cindy tries to call it quits. Blue Valentine is the interweaving of the past and the present, with the past undeniably luring us into the joys of youth and love, and conquering all, only to slam us back into reality that youth is not forever and love can change.
The real power about this film is the acting. Without effects and just the normal every day, there's no one and nothing but the actors pulling out all stops to draw you in. Playing well both young and older, Gosling and Williams' intensity thrusts us into their current lives right off the bat and continues to build from there. There are moments we hold our breaths due the strains their relationship is in. While we usually root for the hero, we're saying to Cindy - get out of there, get out of there. It's not that Dean is a bad character, on the contrary, we really do like the young him. He just seemed incapable of realizing what his wife needed now. Sometimes love alone is not enough. There are hints of Gosling's former roles, perhaps it's the dialogue, but one can't help but recall for one, Noah Calhoun (Notebook).
Pace-wise, this wallows along and we feel almost every 112 minutes. Not exactly a bad thing, but not exactly a good thing either.
***1/2 out of 5 Trailer
Why only 3.5? My friends know I'm a tough critic.
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