Has anyone seen the film “45 Years”? DW and I saw it last evening and found it to be quite striking–beautiful Norfolk scenery juxtaposed with a growing, seething resentment between two people. The story takes place over a week, just prior to a couple’s 45th wedding anniversary.
I was impressed by the artfulness of the film, including the significance of the opening title sequence, the subversive use of the classic rock soundtrack, and the director’s choice of using the occasional horror-film technique, such as unusual camera angles and unanswered telephone rings. Anyone else find it interesting?
Thanks @Nrdsb4. @nottelling was much more magnanimous toward the husband than DW. I think it was the perfume that pushed DW over the edge. I felt like I kind of under thought it, and DW raised at least a dozen items that I had missed. Venus and Mars, I guess. BTW, the final 5 seconds or so of the dance is absolutely riveting IMO.
We saw this back in September at the Toronto film festival. Director said in the original short story the couple were older, in their 80s. But he changed that to make it more appealing and because he wanted Courtney and Rampling to play the leads. Everyone wanted to know whether the couple stayed together or not, but the director wouldn’t say. He added that earlier audiences had had different conclusions, which made him happy. The ambiguity is deliberate, apparently.
The Norfolk scenery is mesmerizing, almost a character in itself. The husband’s speech at the anniversary party was stunning–what a way to sum up a marriage. Rampling’s reactions, as they played out over the last half hour or so, were riveting. We both thought she’d get an Oscar nomination for sure–which she did.