“Blue Valentine” (2010) – Ryan Gosling’s Magnificent Masterpiece About Broken Marriages

Writer/Director: Derek Cianfrance

Starring: Ryan Gosling, Michelle Williams and John Doman

‘A Magnificent Masterpiece’

It takes courage to come to terms with the end of a marriage. Everyone remembers the sad time when they witnessed parents experiencing a separation. A painful process, the end of a marriage often causes couples to face stress. It’s often easier said than done for couples to move on with their lives following a tense separation. Given the sensitive nature of the subject, divorce is a process that’s rarely depicted in movies with respect. Movies rarely ever manage to capture the harsh realities of marriages that end in tragedies. Due to the grim nature of the topic, it’s rarely depicted in films from a realistic point-of-view. Simply put, breakups are a sad fact that’s hard to face. For these reasons, it’s rare to see authentic depictions of divorce in movies.

Few films that I’ve ever seen have captured harsh reality of marriages that decline as powerfully as “Blue Valentine”. Released in 2011, Derek Cianfrance’s mesmerizing masterpiece offered a strong portrait of marriages that deteriorate. Boasting breathtaking production, engrossing storytelling and exceptional performances, it’s a masterpiece that works on every level. At the centre of it all is an extraordinary performance by Ryan Gosling, who embodies the hardship endured by a man whose marriage has come to a tragic end. Ultimately, what stands out most about the film is its realism. It delivers a powerful message which would resonate with everyone that has witnessed a broken marriage at an early age. Despite its depressing subject matter, “Blue Valentine” is a mesmerizing masterpiece that’s definitely worth watching.

“Blue Valentine” tells the story of a couple whose marriage faces decline. Ryan Gosling portrays Dean, a hopelessly romantic man working for a moving company in New York City. Dean’s life forever changes when he falls madly in love with Cindy (Michelle Williams). Pursuing a strong romantic relationship together, the pair immediately get married with bright dreams for the future. However, their relationship is destroyed when their marriage faces disaster. As intense arguments pile up, the couple endure a tense breakup. Facing devastating marriage decline, Dean questions whether it’s possible to maintain a stable relationship with a woman that used to shine.

Derek Cianfrance is a newcomer to the theme of marriage. Before he directed “Blue Valentine”, Cianfrance had never made a movie about romantic relationships before. It was the filmmaker’s first attempt to capture factors causing marriages to face disaster, but he succeeded. Through stunning cinematography, Cianfrance captures a fragile marriage which faces catastrophe. Cianfrance effectively uses handheld cinematography to capture a fragile marriage that faces tragedy. Evoking Asghar Farhadi’s “A Separation”, the filmmaker uses handheld camera to capture a marriage facing deterioration. Handheld cinematography elevates the argument scene. During this heartbreaking scene, Dean and Cindy engage in an intense argument regarding their living arrangements in an apartment. Through handheld cinematography, Cianfrance expertly captures hardships that couples experiencing a breakup go through. Shaky cinematography is a tricky technique to use in movies. However, it works immensely in this film. Using stunning visuals, Cianfrance captures a fragile marriage of a couple declining.

Another admirable aspect of “Blue Valentine” that deserves appreciation is the production-design. Cianfrance expertly uses production capturing the bond between two lovers before marriage destruction. Throughout the movie, apartments represent a strong symbol of bonds between two lovers. Cindy and Dean value time they spend together in apartments before their marriage faces destruction. For instance, apartment locations elevate the hotel room scene. During this powerful scene, Dean and Cindy spend time together bonding in a hotel apartment before marriage destruction. One acknowledges the brightly lit apartment showcasing strong bonds between a pair of lovers. Moreover, he musical score is fantastic. Grizzly Bear’s music captures tragic realities of marriages that experience a decline. Using commemorated production, Cianfrance captures fragile marriages that are always doomed to face destruction.

Storytelling is one of the primary reasons why “Blue Valentine” is a drama that’s compelling. The film is beautifully written, and successfully uses non-linear storytelling to convey the state of a marriage declining. Cianfrance’s greatest screenwriting strength is capturing the decline of a marriage between a couple over the years through non-linear storytelling. The film deftly switches back and forth between two separate timelines: Dean and Cindy’s joyous romance in the past and their present-day hardships with marriages. Through this non-linear structure, Cianfrance creates a compelling couple that audiences can easily relate to. This technique gives the film realism and authenticity which is missing from most marriage movies. Non-linear storytelling is a complicated technique to use in movies. Nick Cassavetes’ “The Notebook” suggested non-linear storytelling enhanced book adaptations. Nevertheless, it works tremendously in this movie. Using a thought-provoking screenplay, Cianfrance captures marriages falling apart today.

One appreciates astonishing performances.

Ryan Gosling delivers one of his greatest career performances as Dean. Gosling achieved appreciation for playing lovers recording romantic relationships in a notebook. With “Blue Valentine”, however, he embodies his most demanding role. It isn’t simple to convey emotions faced by a man stuck in a marriage facing a painful price to pay but he succeeds. This is the actor unlike you’ve ever seen him before: intense, charismatic and vulnerable in his most emotional role to date. With mesmerizing expressions, Gosling captures the angst, resentments and yearnings of a man trapped in a destructive marriage which is declining. It’s a phenomenal performance from one of the finest actors currently working in Hollywood today.

Michelle Williams is magnificent as a grief-stricken woman stuck in a marriage facing destruction. While Gosling gets the showier role, Williams is equally excellent at capturing a woman in a marriage spiralling out of control. As Cindy, Williams excels at capturing the strong emotions of a woman in a broken marriage through expressions. Whether she’s loudly arguing about her marriage with Dean or quietly grieving loss of a relative, Williams expertly uses her powerful voice to create a woman that’s compelling. It’s a powerful performance capturing the painful hardships which women trapped in deteriorating marriages go through.

Finally, “Blue Valentine” is a film that would earn everyone’s appreciation for capturing marriages facing decline. Unlike most films about broken marriages, the movie tackles universal themes everyone would relate to. It discusses powerful themes including angst, marriage and trauma which would resonate with everyone. It delivers a powerful message that would engage everyone that has witnessed broken marriages at an early age. Therefore, “Blue Valentine” is one of those rare movies about marriage everyone would adore.

Fans of Ryan Gosling will definitely appreciate “Blue Valentine” and so will movie-goers seeking meaningful entertainment. A mesmerizing masterpiece, it captures the heartbreaking factors that cause marriages between couples to start declining.

A painful portrait of factors causing marriages between couples to deteriorate, it’s a realistic reminder about the power of Cinema as a therapeutic art-form that can shine light on the harsh realities of marriages that can motivate individuals to move on recover several years after experiencing broken romantic relationships that ended with lovers they once used to appreciate in marriages that were doomed to disintegrate.

5/5 stars