The Film
After a 5-year lapse, actress Sarah Polley (Go, Splice) has jumped back into the director's chair for the Canadian drama Take This Waltz.
Yes, this is absolutely a drama. Don't let the presence of Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman and those occasional moments that make you smile fool you; the film is quite sad.
It starts with Margot (Michelle Williams) and Daniel (Luke Kirby), and a flight that turns flirty at 10,000 feet. As the two make their way home, Margot unveils to this handsome stranger that she fears connections -- not to strange men that she meets on airplanes, mind you. And certainly not to her husband, Lou (Rogen). Instead, she's afraid of making connections in airports.
However, she manages to make her plane connection, as well as one with Daniel. On the cab ride home, Margot drops the bombshell that she's married. Even bigger bombshell: Margot and Daniel are neighbors. Now, she's forced to have this connection connecting with her on a regular basis, from across the street.
At 116 minutes, Take This Waltz is about 20 minutes too long. There are certainly a few scenes that are a little longer than they need to be. That said, Polley does a good job at attaching you to these characters and the cast is so good, it makes Take This Waltz an interesting, worthwhile viewing experience.
The Picture
Take This Waltz isn't an eye-popping film, but the 1.78:1 transfer has its share of impressive qualities. In the opening scene, there's some nice detail, showing the hair on Margot's arms and the sheer portions in her striped shirt. The film has a few soft moments, but that detail is pretty strong throughout. The colors, however, are especially nice and lifelike. There's plenty of variety too, since the action goes indoors and out, as well as in the water and on dry land. It's really interesting and eye-catching that Margot wears red is almost every scene, which plays nice against Michelle Williams' fair skintone.
The Sound
Like many romantic dramas or dramedies, Take This Waltz is very dialogue-driven. You won't miss a word here, but the DTS-HD Master Audio track has a surprising amount of surround sound. A plane goes flying across the soundfield, there's a lot of ambient sound, and the film has an eclectic soundtrack. One of the most notable (and symbolic) moments of the film involves the rumble of the carnival ride, which simultaneously blasts out The Buggles' MTV-era hit "Video Killed the Radio Star." There are a lot of little audio surprises in this small film.
The Extras
Take This Waltz is a little movie, so you shouldn't expect a ton of extras. However, there is a 38-minute making-of featurette that is pretty comprehensive. It has interviews with all of the principal actors, as well as writer/director Sarah Polley. It does an excellent job at covering everything from the film's inspiration and character motivation to the fact that such a sad movie features comedic actors like Seth Rogen and Sarah Silverman.
Final Thoughts
Take This Waltz is certainly not a movie for everyone. It's romantic and sort of funny, but also sad and infuriating. At times, you'll want to punch Michelle Williams' Margot in the face or at least want her to pick up the pace a little. That said, it does move you, thanks to a wonderful cast and an impressive Blu-ray presentation. Indie fans will definitely want to take a peek.
Product Details
Where to Buy:
| Overall | |
|---|---|
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Movie | |
| Extras |
