Review: 45 Years

Director Andrew Haigh's 45 YEARS may be a little long for a protagonist who seems to make up her mind about the stability of her marriage in so short a time.

We meet Kate and Geoff Mercer (Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay) in retirement, as they prepare for their 45th wedding anniversary party. Retired life has given them a restful, relaxed lifestyle: there is plenty of time to read, walk the dog on their spacious land, and go into town for a bit of shopping, should they choose. They have their own routine -- a routine that is knocked off kilter one morning with a letter.

When Geoff receives news that the body of Katya, a woman who died over 50 years ago -- his late wife, for all intents and purposes -- has finally been uncovered in the Swiss Mountains, Kate begins to sense him pulling away as he deals with his resurfaced memories. This is a red flag to Kate; the fact that the couple has saved no photographs of their relationship in the past 45 years, but Geoff still keeps a photograph of Katya in the attic is also a red flag. As Kate begins to examine the missed cues of intimacy and pockets of conversation that were left unsaid over the years, she begins to take her husband's preoccupation with this news personally, worrying that their marriage will fall to pieces.

The film's painfully slow pace would not be a problem if it presented a character whose obstinance didn't get in the way of character development; as is, Kate becomes an unbearable protagonist. Given the environment that the couple is placed in, Kate's inner turmoil dips into triviality on several occasions. This is not to say that the conflict isn't based on a relatable reality -- seeing your loved one suddenly focus so fiercely on the past can take its toll on anyone -- but for a relationship that has lasted for 45 years, dealing with the ghost of a relationship that was brought however harshly to an end over 50 years ago, the near teenage angst of Kate's predicament causes the conflict to feel a bit empty.

Rampling and Courtenay's acting is the shining light in this film -- the nuances of their performances create a feeling of empathy for the characters where the story falls short.

Though it is clear that I have lots of negative thoughts on the film, it is duly noted that the film certainly gives you something to talk about. 45 YEARS is now playing at the Midtown Cinema! Come watch and tell me what you think!