Take This Waltz

source: Take This Waltz

I love Sarah Polley and looked very, very forward to seeing this film, but it was horrible. I expected better performances. The Margo character was annoying and at times seemed like she had some serious psychological issues. I'm guessing the male characters liked the idea of taking care of a victim. Frankly, I found it a little insulting. I think this movie could have been so much better Michelle Williams had not been cast as the lead. I like her acting, but her character annoyed me so much that I wanted to stop the movie; however, I kept watching hoping it would get better.I think Seth Rogen is the only winner in this film. He gave a solid performance and was the only likable character in the film. I am very disappointed.

There is a scene in this film where one of the lead characters is sitting on the porch of the family home. You notice that a pillar separates their house from the one next door and that it has been painted one side white (their side) and the other maroon (the neighbours' side). You think:'Why didn't they get together and agree on one colour. Would have looked much better.' These are the kinds of thoughts that pass through one's mind when enduring this intensely dull and poorly-crafted movie. Margot has been married to Lou for five years and is bored. She is propositioned by artist Daniel. After an interminable wait they get together for some arty multi-person bonking. Fin. Even this thin and at times implausible plot could have been made into a watchable drama, but a clunky script and leaden acting prevents anything catching fire. Margot is about to leave after a first visit to Daniel's apartment (he lives conveniently just across the street)- She: 'I'll see you again.' He: 'It's inevitable.' Not even Burton and Taylor could have made much of those kinds of lines, and Brief Encounter it ain't. Margot and her lover, Daniel, come over as the sort of people you wouldn't want living next door. The only likable character is Margot's husband, Lou, who is portrayed as a bit of a bozo, cheerfully cooking his chicken dishes as his marriage disintegrates. But at least he is sociable, generous and productive whereas Margot barely works, complains about his cooking without cooking anything herself, and generally acts like an adolescent with a minor mental illness. Even during her developing affair she cuddles up to hubby in coldly cynical fashion. Lou doesn't stand a chance. Meanwhile, Margot's lover is a most charmless individual who thinks that whispering sweet nothings equates with uttering the most graphic dirty talk. He shows little genuine emotion for Margot, let alone 'love', instead displaying an arrogant, self-centered, almost sociopathic demeanour. He doesn't even cook! Add in something of an obsession with urinating on screen - in the pool, at her house, at his house - a soundtrack that culminates with a dirge from Leonard Cohen, and. . . well, we came close to walking out. Take this waltz? No thanks! (Viewed at Screen 3, The Cornerhouse, Manchester, UK, 27 August 2012)

Sarah Polley wrote, directed and produced this little Canadian Indie TAKE THIS WALTZ and it seems t be a very personal project. Polley definitely has some insights into contemporary relationships, family, commitment, and values and she manages to transmit those ideas with success in this rather strange but in the end satisfying film. The cast is small and tight an dwell interrelated (except for a rather inappropriate shower scene at the ladies swimming pool when the shower is filled with naked unattractive older obese women) and the three primary actors who form this fragile love triangle are exceptional as are the other two main characters whose purpose seems to be an examination of alcoholism and its effects on a family. We meet Margot (Michelle Williams) nervously coping with her fear of airports at the end of a writing assignment for a travel company. Her eyes engage a handsome young artist Daniel (Luke Kirby) and as fate would have it they are assigned adjoining seats on the airplane home. After an uncomfortably awkward conversation we can see that there is a mutual attraction, and on arriving home they share a taxi and discover that they live across the street form each other. Sensing her attraction and being the faithful wife that she is, Margot informs Daniel that she is married and they part ways. Margot's husband Lou (Seth Rogen) is a stay at home guy who loves cooking and is writing a book on various chicken recipes. Though Margot and Lou repeatedly tell each other how much they love each other, their marriage of five years seems more of a silly childish game than a mature marriage relationship. There is a moment when their tiresome silly word games is interrupted by a possible physical liaison but the idea of sharing love and the concept of a child is touched upon and we never find out why that is or who is trying to have or not have a family. It becomes more obvious that Margot wants to be more exposed to Daniels and they play-act in strange situations, never consummating what obviously is a mutual attraction: Margot is fanatically faithful to Lou whom she repeated says she loves. The closest they come to intimacy is Daniel's responding to Margot's question 'What do you want to do to me?' - and the monologue seems to reveal hidden needs in Margot. Daniel's sister Geraldine (Sarah Silverman) is a recovering alcoholic and her child with her husband James (Graham Abbey) is beloved by Margot. The two confide in each other and words such as ¨Life has a gap in it, it just does. You don't go crazy trying to fill it¨ rather summarize the tow character's inquires. Eventually Margot decides she must explore the newly awakened feelings she has for Daniel and the remainder of the film is how that resolves: the ending is pretty much left up to the viewer. Michelle Williams continues to grow as an actress, able to say more with her eyes and her body language than she is with the script of lines. She is truly remarkable. But she is very well supported by both Luke Kirby and Seth Rogen in roles that are not easy to make credible. The cinematography by Luc Montpellier adds a sense of surreal romance to the film and the musical score by Jonathan Goldsmith incorporates pop tunes such as 'Video killed the radio star' have superb secondary meanings. Parts of the film are flimsy and irritating and unresolved, but Sarah Polley proves that she is rich with ideas that makes us look at ourselves and those we love in a different light. Grady Harp