The Last Five Years

You know those relationships that are just doomed right from the start? It's usually blatantly obvious -- especially when the breakup happens before they meet.

I'm speaking of THE LAST FIVE YEARS, Richard LaGravenese's film adapted from the Broadway play of the same name, which tells the story of the five year long relationship between Jamie Wellerstein (Jeremy Jordan), an up-and-coming novelist, and Cathy Hiatt (Anna Kendrick), a struggling actress. While the relationship doesn't actually end before it starts, the chronological order of their relationship does get pulled apart for the sake of the story, splitting into two paths: Cathy's path is seen backwards -- from the end to the beginning of their relationship -- and Jamie's path is seen forwards, from start to finish. This concept really makes the story engaging -- one can simultaneously see the budding and the breaking of a relationship as the plotlines weave together -- but the execution in the film was far from perfect. The plot was muddled at times, and it was tough to visually discern where exactly in the timeline the characters were at any given moment (more tangible clues would have been appreciated, whether it be a drastic change in the characters' appearance, or some other indicator).

But once you start catching on, the film is enjoyable. Though the structure of the story may be somewhat clumsy, the character study that unfolds is fascinating: both characters want happiness, but are on completely different pages about what that happiness looks like. Jamie thinks it looks a lot like success -- be successful, be happy. Cathy also wants success, but she's looking for someone who can help her get there -- though she tries to deny it, she's looking for someone to "save" her. The lyric, "Finally he can cut through these strings and open my wings" is a huge indicator of this at the beginning of their relationship... and when she finds that he can only help her fulfill her dreams to a certain extent, she gets upset. Both characters are selfish at times, and both make bad decisions. And both wear their emotions on their sleeves: when they are happy, they are exuberant -- but when they are sad, they become stuck and unsure of what to do. It's basically like every theatrically stereotypical relationship involving 20-somethings, but with a lot of heart.

The music is fantastic, and Kendrick and Jordan really belt it out in parts. The two actors have pretty strong on-screen chemistry, and both have some really vulnerable scenes. Playwright Jason Robert Brown should take a bow on that note: the characters feel real, and that is what makes it stand out so much: even though it reuses some of the more tired character tropes, it portrays them in a fresh, relatable way.

THE LAST FIVE YEARS is now playing at the Midtown Cinema!