Blue Valentine [2010] – Derek Cianfrance

I saw Blue Valentine in a nearly full theater, with most of the occupants being late middle-aged couples. I would have to say that most of them went in expecting a light cheese-ball tearjerker, considering the amount of mundane ‘romantic’ drivel churned out by big name movie companies. They turned out being quite taken aback by the film’s content, considering the people who left the theater and the nearby woman who was covering her ears and cowering in her seat. It was clear affirmation that the casual moviegoer is too expectant of bullshit to appreciate the raw and realistic demeanor of Blue Valentine.

The film has a very beautiful aesthetic that coincides with its non-linear editing. The pre-marriage scenes were filmed using Super 16mm which gives them a very organic and warm look, while the post-marriage scenes were shot using a RED One digital camera which produces a very crisp, almost mechanical image. This difference in image clearly delineates the two periods within the narrative as well offers visualizations of their different themes. The grainy and less-detailed image of Super 16mm shows that the hyper-romantic moments felt by the couple pre-marriage are almost a mirage, while the near lossless images of the RED One manage to capture the true reality of the couple’s relationship.

Featuring powerful performances by both Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, Blue Valentine‘s most appealing quality is its gritty and raw honesty. Ryan Gosling, being known for his romantic tear-jerking performances (The Notebook… zzz), seems largely in his element for the pre-marriage sequences, when his character is bursting with youthful romance. Not to discredit his performance in the post-marriage scenes which are equally heartfelt. Michelle Williams’s chararacter is more consistent throughout, seeming to have a film grasp on reality throughout her years. Both have remarkable performances which are essential to the film’s realism.

Blue Valentine is a moving film on its own, but it’s a serious breath of fresh air within the category of romantic modern cinema. While most films focusing on love and relationships are fantastically optimistic, Blue Valentine is almost an anti-romance with its brutally honest sentiments. This is its strongest quality, and it’s one that more films should embrace. I’d like to see more films like Blue Valentine that appreciate real world significance over money-making potential.