Review of Take This Waltz (2011) by Jessica E — 09 Aug 2012

I watched this movie late last night as an attempt to watch all of MSN's "Best Movies of 2012 So Far," but after viewing "Take this Waltz," I'm not sure this is the list I should be following. Directed and written by Sarah Polley, the acting was wonderful, but the script was completely inconsistent and the plot was TIRED, TIRED, TIRED. Wife who is bored and melancholy for no explicable reason finds magic with handsome newcomer, then cheats (either physically or emotionally) and then realizes it's not love from anyone that makes her happy - it's the promise of something new, something better. I should say that Polley's script had one line in it - delivered with surprising veracity by Seth Rogen - that I actually rewound and watched again.The line, spoken after, off-scene, Rogen's wife, Margot (Williams) tells him she's leaving him, was one of those lines in a script that make me think, "DAMNIT. I should've written that." It was such a refreshing "reactionary" line by the poor, well-meaning cuckolded husband in a tired story, framed by cool indie music and lots of beautiful colored paper lamps. I could've done without the full frontal shower scene of Williams, Sarah Silverman, and sundry elderly, overweight women.

Luke Kirby, the object of Margot's obsession/affection, is magnetic and steals every scene he's in, especially when he responds to Margot's question, "What would you do to me?" The two of them have a quick, easy and natural banter, and makes it believable that they do, in fact, have a connection.

Observation: I've never seen an indie movie where a character named Margot is happy. Have you?