Lovesong

I haven't seen any of So Young Kim's other movies, but I am going to make an effort. I understand the varied responses of others here, and make no excuses; it is different for me, and this love story really is a Lovesong, one played in the background over several years, which rises from piano to sforzando, and back to quietness. Remarkably acted and directed, Riley Keough and Jena Malone are just perfect in the depiction of their barely suppressed love for one another. The film both delighted and depressed me, but it has become one that I will buy to keep. I do agree with a review of Lovesong by Justin Chang in "Variety" on 25 Jan 2016: "There's a remarkable truthfulness to the film's acknowledgment that people often make enormous decisions rooted not in fear so much as uncertainty, even laziness, as well as a comfort with their lives as they've lived them until the present juncture." What is left unsaid is the consequences of those decisions, that we are left to look out the window and consider. Well done.

Right from the beginning of the movie I sat with a weird feeling of wanting to participate in the illusion of the film but to never be able to submerge in it. The actors all seemed strangely aware of the cameras - like they throughout the film were trying to conceil an awkward smile - even though we are talking about highly experienced actors (this fact rises a lot of questions: Was there a lot of improvising? Did the actors feel unsafe? Did the director fail? Was the cinematographer of an odd character? All of this popped into my head while watching the film which was quite distracting). The choice of telling the story through mainly closeups feels somewhat misguided since the actors didn't have very much to work with - the storytelling didn't provide them with proper background for their characters and didn't build up the proper emotions within the viewers to justify the astetic choices that have been made. The cinematography promise much more emotional rawness and intensity than the director/script/actors could provide and the movie feels like it's missing some pieces in order to make the audience feel what it so eagerly is trying to make them feel.

I knew nothing about Lovesong going into it and was initially pleasantly surprised by what was going on. The direction and somewhat minimal dialogue was creating a real vibe that drew me in. The main character Sarah has some things going on inside her but as the film progressed I felt like she was drifting away and I knew her less, not more as things progressed. Then her friend Mindy comes for a visit and things come into focus again. You can tell these two are close but Sarah is the type of person in my mind is kind of hard to be friends with as she seems to always be holding back. Some people are just that way but it was a bit frustrating at times. The ending felt a bit abrupt but overall Lovesong is worth checking out if you're genuinely interested but not essential viewing.

Definitely didn't know to expect for this film, but what it eventually ended up being is a solidly written and very well acted tale of two friends. It's not a film driven by plot at all, and for that reason it may not engage all types of viewers, but it does tell a nice human story. More than anything, the two leads are really quite good in this. It's nice to see Riley Keough leading a film like this and I hope she continues to get offered roles, and Jena Malone can always be relied on something extra in her roles. This was no exception.

It's not an exciting movie. It moves very slowly but it's only about an hour and 20 minutes long. There's no big payoff. But the writing, directing and acting are superb. It feels like you're watching a documentary. I wonder if most of the dialogue was ad libbed because it feels so natural. Riley Keough (as she did in "The Girlfriend Experience") has an incredible ability to convey all of her character's feelings without saying a word. There are many scenes when the camera focuses on her eyes, body language, wrinkle of her mouth, tone of her voice, body movements and expressions which move the scene along better than any dialogue could ever do.

Jena Malone is also very good but despite her top billing, this is clearly Keough's movie. The movie will disappoint those who want action or suspense or a tidy ending. But for people who appreciate superb acting, writing and directing, the film is rewarding and Riley Keough is amazing.