I've never been a huge fan of Michelle Williams, but I think she did a great job with the character she was given in this movie. You pity her character just enough.
I've long respected Ryan Gosling, mostly because of his work with Dead Man's Bones. I've only seen him a few movies. His portrayal of his character was really well done. Like Williams's character, the viewer pitied him the right amount. Nothing seemed fair to either character, yet the unhappiness was equal.
This movie felt human. The lines didn't feel at all forced, which is a credit to great writing and great acting. I liked the occasional slips and seeming mess-ups of lines. No one in reality says everything the way he means to say it all of the time.
The tension between different characters and in different situations was almost unbearable. I found myself cringing for them, wanting to grab their arms to hold them back and ridiculous things like that.
Near the beginning of the film, Gosling's character says something in the way of that men are more romantic because the only reason they would marry a girl is if they are totally in love with her, whereas women will marry men for the stable income and peace of mind-- settling. I don't want to marry for many reasons, this being one of them.
Another key component of this film was the gradual loss of affection and tolerance between Cindy and Dean. Granted, about ninety percent of the reason they married was because Cindy was pregnant and couldn't follow through with the abortion. They did love each other, though. The problem was, their marriage was based on necessity. I'd say the main reason I never want to get married is the fear of eventually growing to despise my partner, which I think is very likely. I understand why people cheat and get divorced. and fight. People change. Who was right for you at twenty is not necessarily who will be right for you at forty. I don't want to be stuck with someone I feel nothing for (plus, I don't do well being in close quarters with the same people for a long period of time-- I grow an aversion to them). Another reason not to have kids; they make it harder to change things, as Blue Valentine showed.
I liked the open-endedness of the final scene. The cynics can believe that their relationship will keep withering, and the romantics can think that they'll work it out. I'm not sure which I want. I'd like them to work it out, as long as it isn't forced for the sake of their little girl. I honestly think she'd do better growing up in a "broken home" as Cindy called it than her home the way it was by the end of the movie, with parents who despise each other. A home can be broken even if the parents aren't physically separated.
The filming was gorgeous. The music was great, since Grizzly Bear did most of it. Ryan Gosling's singing was adorable. The final scene leading into the credits was beautiful. The credits were actually worth watching because of the synchronized firework art and music, which is not to be said of most movies.
Two thumbs up.
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