Review of Two Lovers (1928) by Jennifer J — 16 Aug 2009

A calm, insightful romance without manipulation or melodrama. The characters are without frills, without grandiose gesture that usually makes these kinds of films silly. In fact, the characters are down-right awkward at times. Joaquin's ability to portray the socially-stunted is impressive.

My reservations about the piece have to do with motivation(s). Because of the realness of the characters, the story sometime moves with a sort of listlessness that I'm not convinced works in its favor.

Still, what really works is how the story unfolds. Completely linear, no flashbacks, just the occasional hint at the past with dialogue. What appears to be a predictable ending is actually nothing of the sort. The ending is ambiguous, leaving the viewer at a loss as to whether it has resolved with joy or sadness, whether the final scene is actually closure, or a metaphor for the increasing loneliness of the main character.