New posts

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Mel O&#039;Drama" data-source="post: 251416" data-attributes="member: 23">Happy Since I Met You (continued)When we do stop for some dialogue between montages, it’s tedium. Everyday stuff that’s as far removed from romance as it’s possible to be. Awkwardly quiet moments almost a silent scream over how boring thing are.There’s also a blindingly good scene with Frances returning home to find Jim entertaining three actor friends in their smoke-filled home. And one can immediately taste her anger at his thoughtlessness. Maggie Steed is wonderfully dismissive and belittling, speaking to her in a sing-song voice then turning and continuing to speak to her friends about people Frances doesn’t know. Though she makes time to belittle Frances’s career:They turn and continue their conversation and laughter.They continue talking, ignoring her, and Julie gives a killer look to Maggie Steed, tears of anger visible. The other woman asks:Inevitable as it may have been, things taking a violent turn in the relationship still felt shocking to me. They’re writing Christmas cards; she accuses him of self-pity; he tells her she looks ugly; she slaps him; he pushes her; they wrestle; she goes to the bedroom; he follows; she returns to the living room, unwraps the Christmas present she’s bought him (a radio) and breaks it; they tussle; the Christmas tree is knocked over. And all to the poignantly ironically cheerful soundtrack of Vic singing Happy Since I Met You. Then comes flight. Frances gets on the train to escape and meet a friend. But Jim intercepts her at a railway cafe where she’s got off the train:He goes to the counter, chooses a pack of sandwiches and walks to pay. She spots his pyjama top is sticking out from beneath his jumper and signals to him. He tucks it in. The end. The downbeat ending feels perfectly in tune with that of Nearly A Happy Ending. It’s heart-achingly sad, pitifully dysfunctional, and doesn’t bode well for either of them. But I’m left wanting the best for them. It’s perfect. It's by no means an easy watch - which is why I won't hurry to re-watch it. But it's beautifully written, perfectly cast and wonderfully acted and with gorgeous location work. Not to mention enough misdirection to make it a very satisfying experience. </blockquote>

Verification: 6 + 4 =