This movie has been on my mind for a long time. I had seen the poster somewhere and had read a couple of brief references, but I didn't know anything about its plot or who was involved in it. After the pleasant experience Tangerines was to me, last night I wanted to see another movie that did not exceed ninety minutes and this one appeared again as a suggestion, so I finally decided to see it.
Hacía tiempo que esta película rondaba mi mente. Había visto el poster en alguna parte y habia leído un par de referencias breves, pero no sabía nada de su trama ni de quienes participaban en ella. Tras la grata experiencia que fue para mí Tangerines, anoche tuve ganas de ver otra película que no superase los noventa minutos y de nuevo apareció esta como sugerencia, así que finalmente me decidí a verla.
The Killing of Two Lovers is the first feature film directed solo by Robert Machoian and starring Clayne Crawford and Sepideh Moafi, names that probably don't mean much to you because they are actors mainly dedicated to participating in TV series or not very successful films, the same as Machoian, whose filmography is quite short at the moment. However, do not be fooled by the lack of celebrity of these names, the film has strength and those who participate are very talented.
The film tells the story of David and Nikki, a married couple going through a difficult situation. With four children (a teenager and three young boys), the spouses have decided to give themselves some time, to take physical distance while they decide what they will do next, will they divorce? Will they resolve their conflicts and return? They are not clear yet, but there are certain conditions that are set in the interim: David leaves home and stays at his father's house while Nikki stays with the children; and both agreed that they can see other people, that is, relate emotionally and sexually with someone else.
The Killing of Two Lovers es el primer largometraje dirigido en solitario por Robert Machoian y protagonizado por Clayne Crawford y Sepideh Moafi, nombres que probablemente no les digan mucho porque se trata de actores principalmente dedicados a participar en series de TV o películas no muy exitosas, lo mismo que Machoian, cuya filmografía es bastante breve por el momento. Sin embargo, no se dejen engañar por la falta de celebridad de estos nombres, la película tiene fuerza y en quienes participan hay mucho talento.
En la cinta se cuenta la historia de David y Nikki, un matrimonio que atraviesa una situación difícil. Con cuatro hijos (una adolescente y tres niños chicos), los esposos han decidido darse un tiempo, tomar distancia física mientras resuelven qué harán a continuación, ¿se divorciarán? ¿resolverán sus conflictos y volverán? No lo tienen claro aún, pero hay ciertas condiciones que se fijan en el interín: David se va de casa y se queda en casa de su padre mientras Nikki se queda con los niños; y ambos acordaron que pueden ver a otras personas, entiéndase relacionarse afectiva y sexualmente con alguien más.
It's because of this agreement that Nikki begins to go out with Derek, a man who works in the same building as her, a fact that exasperates David because he, who does not go out with anyone else and doesn't want to, wants to keep his family together, not separate from his children or lose his wife. All this is understood as the film progresses and we are capturing looks, comments, clues, but the way in which the film is introduced to us without any prior context is very intelligent.
Es por ese acuerdo que Nikki comienza a salir con Derek, un hombre que trabaja en el mismo edificio que ella, hecho que desespera a David porque él, que no sale con nadie más y no quiere hacerlo, desea mantener unida a su familia, no separarse de sus hijos ni perder a su esposa. Todo esto se va comprendiendo a medida que avanza la cinta y vamos captando miradas, comentarios, indicios, pero es muy inteligente la forma en que se nos introduce la cinta sin ningún tipo de contexto previo.
Even more intelligent and successful seems to me the selection of the initial sequence. There are films that begin with a calm prologue and we get used to the place, gradually discovering what kind of story we are going to be told (typical of those films that show us wide shots of the city, the traffic, a bridge, etc.), but The Killing of Two Lovers does not. The tape begins with a scene that is the central dilemma of the film. There's a close-up of one face, then another, and when the shot opens and we see what's happening (or is going to happen, or might happen) we're immediately caught in the plot. We get the gist of what it could mean, but we desperately want to know who these people are and how they got there, so the essential theme of the entire story we're going to be told for the next 85 minutes bursts violently onto the screen and into our minds.
Aún más inteligente y acertada me parece la selección de la secuencia inicial. Hay películas que comienzan con un prólogo apasible y nos vamos ambientando en el lugar, vamos descubriendo poco a poco qué tipo de historia se nos va a contar (propio de esas películas que nos muestran planos amplios de la ciudad, el tráfico, un puente, etc.), pero The Killing of Two Lovers no. La cinta entra con una escena que es el dilema central de la película. Hay un primer plano de un rostro, luego otro y cuando se abre la toma y vemos lo qué está sucediendo (o va a suceder, o puede suceder) inmediatamente estamos atrapados en la trama. Entendemos la idea principal de lo que puede significar, pero queremos desesperadamente saber quiénes son estas personas y cómo llegaron allí por lo que el tema esencial de toda la historia que se nos va a contar durante los siguientes 85 minutos irrumpe violentamente en la pantalla y en nuestras mentes.
Another element that I really liked were those sound flashes. There are many movies that show fast flashes in the middle of a scene and correspond to images that can be memories (flashback) or can be anticipations of things that are going to happen (flash forward) or simply imaginations of the character. I saw this resource in the first season of Big Little Lies where, in the middle of a calm scene, for a fraction of a second a violent scene was shown that did not seem to correspond (someone is running, the lights of a police patrol are seen , etc). But usually it's about images. However, in The Killing of Two Lovers it's all about sounds. David is driving in his truck and suddenly we begin to hear some sounds that are not coming from inside the vehicle. We think that it is in the environment, but the plane opens and we see that it does not correspond either. When it happens a second time we understand that those sounds are not in the scene, is it a memory? an anticipation? is it a thought of David? does he hear those pounding inside his head? Or is it perhaps a desire against which he fights? Let the viewer choose what to believe.
Otro elemento que me gustó mucho fueron esos flashes de sonidos. Hay muchas películas que muestran flashes veloces en medio de una escena y se corresponden con imágenes que pueden ser recuerdos (los flashback) o pueden ser anticipaciones de cosas que van a suceder (flash forward) o sencillamente imaginaciones del personaje. Este recurso lo vi en la primera temporada de Big Little Lies en donde, en medio de una escena tranquila, durante una fracción de segundo se mostraba una escena violenta que no parecía corresponder (alguien corre, se ven las luces de una patrulla de la policía, etc). Pero normalmente se trata de imágenes. Sin embargo, en The Killing of Two Lovers se trata de sonidos. David va conduciendo en su camioneta y de pronto comenzamos a escuchar algunos sonidos que no provienen del interior del vehículo. Pensamos que está en el ambiente, pero el plano se abre y vemos que tampoco corresponde. Cuando sucede por segunda vez entendemos que esos sonidos no están en la escena, ¿es un recuerdo? ¿una anticipación? ¿es un pensamiento de David? ¿escucha él esos golpes dentro de su cabeza? ¿o es acaso un deseo contra el que lucha? Que el espectador elija qué creer.
Added to these two things is a clean photograph, very beautiful with an abundance of close-ups, especially inside David's vehicle, which makes us feel closer in those scenes; a simple but deeply honest script, good performances and a drama that is neither sparse nor excessive. It's not a melodramatic movie about the separation of a marriage (although it obviously has its share of it), but it's not a hard and distant film either. The arguments between David and Nikki feel genuine and so do their motives - what to do if they can't be together anymore? what about the children? is it possible to meet again? And yes, although sometimes it seems that David is the good guy and Nikki the bad guy (she's the one with a lover and he doesn't, and the story is told from David's perspective), it's also him who has violent attacks and ideas, who looks more emotionally upset and who tells his daughter that her mother is not a bad person. Mixed feelings, contradictory ideas, confusion, despair, everything is present there.
A estas dos cosas se suman una fotografía limpia, muy hermosa con abundancia de primeros planos, sobre todo al interior del vehículo de David, lo que nos genera más cercanía en esas escenas; un guión sencillo, pero profundamente honesto, buenas actuaciones y un drama que no resulta parco ni excesivo. No es una película melodramática sobre la separación de un matrimonio (aunque obviamente tiene su cuota de ello), pero tampoco es una cinta dura y distante. Las discusiones entre David y Nikki se sienten genuinas y también sus motivos ¿qué hacer si ya no pueden seguir juntos? ¿qué pasa con los hijos? ¿es posible reencontrarse? Y sí, aunque a veces parezca que David es el bueno y Nikki la mala (es ella la que tiene un amante y él no; y la historia está contada desde la perspectiva de David), es también él quien tiene ataques e ideas violentas, quien se ve emocionalmente más alterado y quien dice a su hija que su madre no es una mala persona. Sentimientos encontrados, ideas contradictorias, confusión, desesperación, todo está presente allí.
This dramatic film from American independent cinema was not only written and directed by Robert Machoian but also produced and edited by himself (respects). It's worth seeing because although it tells a well-known story, it does so in a different way in several aspects. Faced with the pain of losing a loved one, faced with the desperation of seeing her with someone else, faced with the profound sadness and resentment of being replaced, David draws the gun and points it at his ex-wife and her new lover, evoking Hey Joe from Jimi Hendrix, which force is greater? love? the pain? despair? The madness?
Esta película dramática proveniente del cine independiente estadounidense, no sólo fue escrita y dirigida por Robert Machoian sino que también la produjo y la editó él mismo (mis respetos). Vale la pena verla porque aunque cuenta una historia bastante conocida lo hace de una manera diferente en varios aspectos. Ante el dolor de la pérdida de la persona amada, ante la desesperación de verla con alguien más, ante la profunda tristeza y el rencor de ser reemplazado, David empuña el arma y apunta a su ex esposa y a su nuevo amante, evocando Hey Joe de Jimi Hendrix, ¿qué fuerza es mayor? ¿el amor? ¿el dolor? ¿la desesperación? ¿la locura?
I loved this film when I saw it, I ended up writing about it here almost immediately after too. I really enjoyed the performances, the sound design (frequent closing of the car door used throughout the film to serve as a method of displaying increased stress and tension).
I loved the cinematography and general soft tones in the lighting which amplified the despair and loneliness of the protagonist. The white backdrop of snow and mountains towering over this seemingly cursed location full of suffering.
While I didn't really like how it ended, I certainly loved everything else about it.
Same here, I didn't like the ending. And what you say about lighting is so accurate. Thank you for reading and sharing your opinion. Greetings.
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I had the opportunity to see this film a couple of months ago, I had it pending since last year. I was fascinated by its story, an independent production where it shows that you don't need too many resources to tell a good story, you just need to have the talent to do it.
The use of sound, accompanied by a photography that immerses us in the atmosphere of deep America, to use a micro story, but that reflects a macro feeling.
Yes, although at first glance it is the story of a broken marriage and that one of them keeps the hope of saving it. I gave it a broader reading, I think the ending expresses very well the whole feeling of a nation that at that time was going through a division (still does) plus it shows the life of some people who must live in what many say is a paradise, but in reality seems like a fleeting dream.
I was not satisfied with the resolution of the conflict, but no matter, everything else is excellently composed.
I remind you to join our discord and see the publications of other excellent cinephiles of the community, leave them a comment and opinion about other movies that will surely be of your interest. Interaction is being valued on the platform.
I wasnt satisfied with the resolution of the conflict either. I mean it's not like I was hoping something more violent but I believe the ending is not as interesting as the rest of the film. Can you tell me once again the name of your community?
Thank you for your support.
Me encantó tu manera de hacer la reseña y hablar sobre los detalles de la película. Planos, escenas, sonidos, los actores poco reconocidos pero no por eso menos talentoso y una historia que parece bastante interesante. Me gustaría verla en algún momento, la anotaré. :)
Cuando la veas, por favor cuéntame tu opinión. Que estés muy bien y gracias por leerme.
This type of movie may confuse or bore the casual viewer who just wants to watch a movie either for entertainment or just to see something and get out of the way and not be thinking about the depth of the characters or if the story makes sense, the photography, the camera angles and stop counting. All this is important to enjoy a film more and over time I have learned from those who know and that helped me to enjoy more of this type of film that is not for all audiences.
I saw it a long time ago and I talked about it in my old blog here in the community. In that opportunity I commented that the movie can be seen from different points of view and as I said before it can get you out of the loop when you think it should take a specific path and when you see that it was somewhat incomplete it can affect your opinion about it and I mean that it does not always go where you expect it to go since it has its own life, that is to say it can take different paths no matter if the obvious thing is to go to the left instead of the right.
The professional critics consider it a great film within what many categorize as the cinema of deep America that is to say the personal passion towards a very specific film genre that can vary regardless of how you see it or interpreters, the film as such has its personality but at the same time a depth that thanks to the camera angles we can understand some moments more in detail and I loved that. The interpretation of the characters is correct, we see nothing out of place and that could be the same as any person would take in a real situation, children occupy and express the emotions they might feel if something like that happens in their real life and adult characters are shown as expected to be shown in similar situations, of course this does not mean that we all act the same way, but we do not see anything exaggerated and that's perfect.
The character of David understands where he stands and struggles with his inner self the whole movie against that feeling that overwhelms him and at times makes him wonder if he has made the right decisions in every step he has taken throughout his life that has brought him to this crucial point in his life. I really enjoyed this movie a lot and would not hesitate to watch it again.
Greetings my friend! @cristiancaicedo
What an amazing contribution, thanks a lot!. It's true is not a film for the average viewer and I loved that thing you said about David and his struggle during the whole story. Thank you once again for taking the time of reading my post and leave such an excellent comment. Greetings!
Thank you very much my good friend!