Review of By the Sea (2015) by Jack G — 24 Nov 2015

Much as Im tempted to completely dismiss this as the vanity project that it appears to be - aside from the fact that it is written and directed by one of its stars and produced by both, the location has the feeling of this being an ideal vacation for the cast and their family - there is at least a little more to this than youd think on first glance. It doesnt mean the movie works totally, but there are sparks where it catches interest and Jolie (nay Pitt) is going for a spicy tome about marriage and voyeurism.

I could go on about a story, but whats the use? Its a movie where by design the script feeds off of cliches: the alcoholic writer who cant seem to write the book cant stand being around his forlorn wige most of the time. She may be depressed , though that doesnt seem to matter all the time as she mopes around, smokes (sitting AND standing). And then the younger newly married couple comes in (Melanie Laurent being one of them) and they have a lot of sex in the next room. They should know- theres a peephole hidden where Roland and Vanessa (Pitt and Jolie) can see the sexy times.

I found it both easy and difficult to be pulled in to all of this. as a director Jolie is clearly a Michelangelo Antonioni fangiril, both in bringing us visually luscious things to look at (both the sea and rocky shores outside and the characters) and in the desolation of the main characters. Again, nothing too new when it comes to a sort of big studio/art film hybrid (remember when things like The Passenger got made by Warners, like that) But theres a reason people still go to Jolie and certainly Pitt movies- they know how to act, to light scenes on fire and keep their characters intense and engaging even when (thankfully especially when) not much is going on. I even found Pitt thoughtful here, which is crucial to make this walking conventional archetype work.

For Jolie she gives herself the trickier role, and im not totally sure she fits for it all throughout. Its a given shes beautiful to look at, and I suppose knows it. But what else THERE is there with these characters? While she gets some interesting patches of screentime out of watching the other couple (thats a classic cinema trope in a seductive, genuine and curious approach I liked), theres simply too much mopeyness to take in, too many forlorn stares and walking and smoking and drinking, so that when the melodrama does rathet up in the third act I couldnt find much to invest in these people to... care and all.

In other words, its both french new wave and Antonioni wave homage to the maximim degree, the stars really do put in the work, and at times its awfully sex, but at the end of the day I left thinking... whats the point? By the Sea is an experience that left me satisfied and unsatisfied, fulfilled and unfulfilled. While I can tell you its not all the disaster you heard, it's a lot of posing and sorrow signifying uh.... despair I guess.

"Why are we such assholes?".