adekinder

A brilliant film of Kiwiana.

It tells the story of two people and their relationship which ultimately meets its bittersweet end. The story is very moving and heartbreaking and personally, while I feel so frustrated by the ending, it was well played off. The relationship fractures due to two people unwilling to communicate.

The movie incorporates the soundtrack and musical element in a fun and creative way. I liked how it didn't play as a straight musical and we got scenes punctuated by certain songs while flashing back to the main character's actions. It was beautifully filmed and well-acted, taking us through the landscape of a changing New Zealand and its different era. I enjoyed the costumes, music choices and the filming.

A lot of people feel the movie falls apart in the third half. This is due to the frustration in their miscommunication and perhaps, Eric not making it clear what the truth was. However, there was plenty of opportunities where both characters made choices to hide secrets and create the friction in their relationship. At the beginning of the movie, we see the main female character Rose be cold to Eric on their first date because he was approached. This starts the expectation that Rose is easily suspicious and jealous towards other females and has a lack of trust in anyone. This is again repeated during the first dance scene where Eric dances with someone else - she almost leaves him completely due to her assumption that he will be interested in others. She never communicates her insecurity or mistrust toward her partner. Before Eric leaves, Rose finds Eric's father having an affair with someone else. Does she say this to Eric? No. Eric never discusses this with her and throughout the whole movie, tries to keep his father away from his wife. Eric is ashamed by his father and his inability to hide his affairs. He doesn't want to share this secret with his wife and already is aware of the judgment from Rose's parents.

The turn and crumbling of the marriage is perfectly captured by Crowded Houses " Fall at your feet". This entire scene made me cry. Eric discovering his dead father in the bathroom of another woman. The woman begging for him to go. Him carrying his father. All of it was harsh and bitter. You felt the weight of it. He comes home and seeks comfort in his wife who smells the perfume. She automatically assumes he has been with another woman - but why? she has no reason to except her previous suspicious nature followed by her spotting of Eric's father. She expects him to be unfaithful because she feels he is her father. Her shunning of him makes it harder on Eric to be honest. It was already a burden. Neither communicate their distrust and let their distance wedge between them. As you see Rose grow colder, she never speaks - she keeps assuming he has been unfaithful throughout everything. When confronted, the song "Language" illustrates perfectly them speaking different tongues. Eric's embarrassment for his father shame and the sinking weight that his own wife thinks he is no different. This scene is heartbreaking and you scream with frustration that they couldn't just work it out. But the truth is neither were willing to take that steps. Rose stewed in her own suspicions, Eric lived with his shame.

All in all, it's very heartbreaking and well-told that nothing is clear-cut. That the unwillingness to let go of your own doubts stops your path. That your sacrifice can be unheard. It was a painful ending to a really great story about love.