Movie - 45 Years
This is what we have The Electric cinema for in Birmingham. It’s made for these type of gentle and yet thought-provoking, beautiful movies.*The film leads up to the 45th wedding anniversary of a contented couple Kate and Geoff (Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay) who live in a rural part of the UK (Norfolk?) and keep themselves to themselves. They missed out on giving their friends a 40th anniversary party - I very much get the feeling that’s why they are doing it - as Geoff was ill. But an unknown truth about his past love, from before they got together becomes more apparent as the week progresses. Instead of just being a matter of sorting a sort and choosing a dress and the soundtrack, the news causes distress and uncertainty on what appears to be a rock-steady marriage.There are moments to smile. I love learning about an older couple’s relationship. To share decades of stories and experience is a beautiful thing; so much is communicated just through body language and eye movements or simply through second guessing. There are no children but happily there is Max the dog.I like how this moves slowly as every eye movement and hair jolting out-of-place has a part to play in the emotion.This is no popcorn movie - not that I’d munch that at the cinema anyway. Lemon drizzle cake and coffee are a perfect accompaniment, followed by Tums sweets bought while shopping at Hema in the wonderful new New St earlier. There were others with shopping bags on a Thursday afternoon too, mostly nearer the 60 something age of the couple whose marriage is being tested. It sure made me hug my beloved a little closer as the film reached its ending although the conclusion to the story is left wide open.8/10Smile factor 6/10 mainly via Max the dog.@RickieWrites*And art house and foreign films, I so wish the Electric would show more of those