Review of Monogamy (2010) by Brion V — 08 Jun 2011

A small Tribeca Film Fest entry, Monogamy has a nice and respectable performance at its heart (Rashida Jones -- The Social Network, I Love You Man, Parks and Recreation); but the story boggles itself down with a delirious subtext of obsession that I found distracting and overly time-consuming.

The story is about a young NYC couple a few months away from their upcoming marriage -- Jones and Chris Messina (Julie & Julia, Devil, Away We Go) -- who come upon a rough spot in their relationship.

A wedding photographer who has grown bored with the monotony and routine, Theo (Messina) starts up a side job which has clients contact him to take voyeuristic photographs of them. Theo quickly becomes obsessed with his latest client known as "Subgirl" and, well, his obesession takes over not only his life and relationship but the film as well.

At times it is too cosuming for a viewer because the film appeared to be equally about the couple; but there are longs spells with no Jones. The story is a decent one -- one about fidelity and devotion -- but it takes some spills with Theo's perplexed mind.

While the story is realistic and the relationship at its core doesn't appear to be "acted" (well done by Messina and Jones); I think the film took too many strolls from the narrative thread that mattered and in doing-so relegated Jones to a minor character.

The film simply isn't consistent would be my biggest complaint. I liked what I saw until what I saw didn't matter ... and that is about a fourth of the film when Theo is busy being a voyeur. That -- itself is kind of strange -- as voyeurism is watching and those were the least-watchable scenes in Monogamy.

This film isn't ALWAYS pleasant and happy; but is Monogamy?