Creepy, original, witty "The One I Love" takes a different look at love
'The One I Love" is an unconventional, even subversive and well-acted look at love. Fans of "The Twilight Zone" may enjoy some of the fun, slightly creepy twists on love that may have you eagerly awaiting what happens next. On the brink of separation, Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss) escape to a beautiful vacation house for a weekend getaway in an attempt to save their marriage. What begins as a romantic and fun retreat soon becomes surreal, when an unexpected discovery forces the two to examine themselves, their relationship, and their future. Directed by Charlie McDowell in an assured feature film directorial debut, "The One I Love" is a superbly-acted, smart dramedy that explores the conventions of marriage with an odd twist. It's essentially a leisurely, talky two-person film (or to clarify, a two-actor film), grounded by the strong, believable performances from "Safety Not Guaranteed's" Duplass (who also co-produced) and "Mad Men's" Moss, both of whom add texture and humor to Justin Lader's witty script, which is better in its initial segments than its darker second half. Without giving too much of the plot away, it's this twist that somehow (and quite strangely) makes their marriage better; who knew that a simple retreat would do just that, though this isn't just any retreat, but one that helps them discover who they really love. "The One I Love" may be too weird and talky for some, and admittedly does take awhile to buy into the odd premise, but seeing ourselves in a different light often makes us better people. That's the beauty and the fun of the dramedy "The One I Love," a satisfying, if not, highly unconventional and a little creepy, look at love and marriage.
Wes's Grade: B
No comments:
Post a Comment