Between Us

In what might be the best first line of a movie, Julia Stiles opens her door and lets a multitude of expressions pass over her face. "I gotta say, it's a little strange having you two show up at our doorstep like this."

We then see the unfolding of two disastrous dinner parties between two couples, Taye Diggs and Julia Stiles, and David Harbour and Melissa George. The film intercuts between the first party hosted at one house two years earlier and an impromptu get-together at the other couple's apartment during the present time. Intense, wordy, real, and extremely well-acted, it's easy to imagine Joe Hortua's words written for and performed on the stage. I wasn't expecting to enjoy this movie nearly as much as I did. Sometimes I find movies that are very "play-ish" to be unrealistic and superior. Between Us was so real, I felt as if I should apologize for eavesdropping. The four actors bare their souls to the camera, admit secrets, and cry at their lost youths and crumbling marriages. It's a very common theme now (even though this movie is nearly ten years old) to focus on 30-somethings who regret having children and settling down. There are people who don't like that theme, for whatever reason, and those viewers should absolutely stay away. Anyone who does like that subgenre, I highly recommend this heavy drama. It's exposing and uncomfortable, personal yet vague, and intimate even though it's a feature film that (ideally) would be shown to millions.

What tries to be an intense, cerebral drama turns out to be anything but in director Dan Mirvish's astonishingly terrible Between Us. If first impressions truly are everything, it appears someone forgot to give the memo to the director and cast, as the film opens with one of the most inexplicably irritating and unnatural dialogue sequences in contemporary film history. For those holding out hope…well…things don't get much better.

The story centres on two couples; once friends, but now heading in different directions- the offbeat artistic pairing of Carlo (Taye Diggs) and Grace (Julia Stiles) and the wealthy but unhappy Joel (David Harbour) and Sharyl (Melissa George).

No further synopsis can be provided, though, as the film proves to be utterly plot less right from the outset. The story intermittently jumps between key moments in these characters' lives, providing no valid linkages along the way, instead assuming that audiences will graciously accept multiple sudden breaks in an already disjointed film.

Each scene feels atrociously recycled, simply putting a different couple in the same troublesome situation. Naturally, this highly predictable fare becomes tired very quickly, as the film persistently fails to demand even the slightest sliver of viewer attention.

Writers Mirvish and Joe Hortua grossly mishandle any opportunities to develop their characters. All four individuals regularly flip-flop on decisions and established motives, giving a laughably embarrassing air to a film that takes itself far too seriously.

And yet, none of its aforementioned flaws can trump the disastrous overacting indulged in by each cast member. Harbour leads the pack, coming off as some sort of cringe worthy aberration of Modern Family's Phil Dunphy, with all of the social awkwardness and none of the charm, but make no mistake- the honour of 'worst actor' remains very much a four horse race, culminating in a soppy, borderline intelligence-insulting ending. Avoid with extreme prejudice.

*There's nothing I love more than a bit of feedback, good or bad. So drop me a line on jnatsis@iprimus.com.au and let me know what you thought of my review. If you're looking for a writer for your movie website or other publication, I'd also love to hear from you.*

Let's be clear: This is not an easy movie to watch. Like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or (more recently) Carnage, Between Us almost seems to revel in exposing the nastier side of human nature. We're given a ringside seat at an emotional slugfest as a pair of (nominally friendly) couples eviscerate themselves and each other at a series of ill-advised dinner parties. Once the wine starts to loosen tongues and inhibitions, verbal sparring quickly escalates into full-on psychological warfare -- the 'take no prisoners' kind. And trust me: There's more genuine violence in this movie than the entire third act of Man of Steel -- it's just that here the characters are clobbered with words, not skyscrapers.

In short: If you like Who's Afraid...? and Carnage, then Between Us is a must-see.

Incredibly hard to make a play feel like a movie but Dan Mirvish has succeeded and then some. Stellar cast who bring it, stylish, and an outstanding Behind The Scenes extra that tells it like it is.

The film is shot beautifully by Nancy Schreiber (one of my favorite DPs), edited in a really interesting, non-linear fashion and is a showcase for Taye Diggs, Julia Styles and David Harbour. And while Melissa George has the sort of thankless role, she comes through when it's her moment to shine at the climax.

In the end, all of it comes together under the skillful direction of Mirvish.

"Between Us" is a relationship drama. Two thirty-something couples, all friends, have ended up in slightly different places in life, but they are all determined to get through their relationships together. Except, they really don't care. The first weekend, Grace (Julia Stiles) and Carlo (Taye Diggs) visit the more successful Joel (David Harbour) and Sharyl (Melissa George). What is obvious to everyone else is that Joel and Sharyl are putting up a fake façade to hide their unhappiness.

Grace and Carlo are both, simultaneously, unaware of their best friends' unhappiness and uncaring so much that they don't care to do anything about it. Except complain. They're not being perfect enough hosts for their liking.

In the future, making it clear that there has been a falling out between these friends, Joel and Sharyl visit Grace and Carlo in their small New York apartment. Joel and Sharyl are still putting up a fake façade, but this time about pretending to like their former friends. Grace doesn't care.

"Between Us" has been compared to Carnage. Both films are driven by dialogue between two couples, but that is where the similarity ends. "Between Us" has no comedy and the characters are so ridiculously boring, that I don't care about them. And I shouldn't, they don't care about themselves or anybody else.

There is supposed to be a thriller element, keeping us in an air of suspense as to why these two couples, and best friends, have had a falling out. But this fails for many reasons: there is nothing interesting about this falling out, and they don't really act like friends in the first place, so there is no suspense.

Boring people in uncaring friendships and relationships make "Between Us" a very boring and pointless film.

Who Might Like This: People who like slow-paced relationship dramas; people who don't mind script-less dialogue-driven films; adults who want to see unhappy relationships evolve/de-evolve.