Blue Valentine (2010) // dir. Derek Cianfrance

Gosling and Williams depict the harsh reality of the making and breaking of a relationship.

Right from the off, it is evident that this is not your typical boy-meets-girl-and-they-live-happily-ever-after formula. It throws you straight into the deep end, Gosling (devoted family man, but with a distinct lack of ambition) and Williams (emotionally conflicted between her family and an idealistic life) are trapped in marital monotony, and show no signs of changing. Through the process of flashbacks, we see their relationship swiftly gain momentum;  from their first meeting in an old people’s home, to an unplanned pregnancy, to a low-key and hurried wedding - a scene so heartbreakingly beautiful for the audience, having witnessed the deterioration and misery of the marriage. The two leads deliver intensely powerful performances in deeply intimate and honest roles, with their improvisation only adding to the realistic nature of the film. It is endearing and disconcerting in equal measure, but is definitely worth the uncomfortable watch.