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So yes, I watched all the three movies before making any judgement. I only did it because I saw some comments on the movie (Them) saying that it was messy and then someone saying that it was best to watch the three to better understand. I started with Him, followed to Her version and ended with Them for chronological reasons. Some people say that Her is a better version, but I decided to stick to time factor and follow the directors way.

So is it worth it? *Really trying not to say any spoilers so I don't ruin it for you* Him really gets the guy perspective of everything that is happening around and we see only his version of events, his feelings everything about him. By now we don't really know what's happening and it seems just like a story about a break up.

With Her we get the girls version and here is were we really comprehend the trigger point. I love how they explore differences between the moments that we seem them together. I think it's pretty amazing because every time we put two people talking about things from their past, even though they lived it together, each of them always seems to have differences in their memories, so it's quite amazing to see it (a first time for me) in a movie.

Them it's the putting together of these two people. I confess I was a bit disappointed with this last version. I expected a little more after the first two movies and certainly a putting together of the pieces. Even though it still manage to surprise us with small differences of what we already seen. I guess after the first two I got my expectations high, but maybe it was too much. I tried watching it as I hadn't seen the other two and it was surprising how, even it seemed confusing at the beginning without seeing Him and/or Her, in the middle we get to understand things without they being showed to us.

The end was not absolutely what I was expecting. Here too I was expecting more. But somehow it managed to still conquer me. I guess on this part the soundtrack really gives an amazing help.

So yes, it's worth watching the three otherwise there are some little pieces that connect us to the story that you will lose. My advice: watch Him and Her and later watch Them. The soundtrack connects very well with the dynamic of the movie. This is a "dramance" and it's about love and lost so you can't expect much action or fairy tale ending. It's real life pouring on! Jessica Chastain and James Mcavoy perform it very well and what we have here is original cinema. Hope I've been helpful without spoiling.

Greetings again from the darkness. It's tough and probably unfair to write about a film project when key pieces remain unseen. Writer/Director Ned Benson's brilliant first take on the story was released at Toronto Film Festival in two perspectives: "Him" and "Her". A massive re-edit produced "Them", this version released in theatres. As you might expect, knowledge that more exists ... and in probably a more effective story telling format ... renders us a bit frustrated with the blended version. Still, there is plenty here to warrant a look.

This viewer's frustration stems mostly from the long and winding road we travel understanding something tragic has caused the split between El (the titular Eleanor Rigby) and Conor. We are offered a brief glimpse of their happy times, but never get to know them as a happy couple. Instead, Conor is shown trying to re-assemble the pieces, while El tries to move on to a different puzzle altogether.

While the story unfolds in teeth-grinding fashion, it doesn't offset the powerful emotion and personal intensity brought to the screen by both James McAvoy (Conor) and Jessica Chastain (El). Mr. McAvoy has quietly evolved into one of the more interesting actors working, while Ms. Chastain proves herself to be among the best each time she crawls inside a role and makes it her own. We feel for each of them, before we even really know them at all.

Other superb work comes from a sterling supporting cast that includes screen vets William Hurt, Isabelle Huppert, Viola Davis and Ciaran Hinds; as well as Bill Hader, Jess Weixler and Nina Arianda. That's seven characters (plus the two leads) of which we yearn to learn more. Ms. Davis is especially effective in her all too brief appearance as a professor cutting El very little slack. And Mr. Hurt delivers a terrific monologue that strikes a chord.

So all of these wonderful pieces make for an spell-binding what-if that possibly gets answered in the dual-perspective version. The coldness and lack of understanding in the first 45 minutes can't offset the emotion and sadness that each character feels. Rumor has it that "Him" and "Her" will get their release this year, and if so, I'll be there in an attempt to complete both puzzles.

Yesterday, I went to see The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby for a pre-release screening by Louisiana International Film Festival. As the directorial debut for Ned Benson, this movie stars James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain as a young married couple that eventually crumbles. It is a combination of three short films: Him, told from the perspective of James McAvoy's character, Connor, Her, told from the perspective of Jessica Chastain's character, Eleanor, and Them, which features their relationship.

Truth be told, I wanted to like this movie a lot more. Some of the parts were very intriguing, and then some other parts were like watching paint dry. The romantic scenes with both of them together were the most interesting and fascinating. Their chemistry together was great, and their connection was felt and natural. With the two separate perspectives, however, I was drifting in and out. At one point, I even dozed off. Both perspectives were unbalanced, as I felt like there were more parts with Eleanor than there were with Connor. Or at least, I got more out of Eleanor than Connor. From Connor's side, it was a decent tale, but there wasn't a lot of his story coming out, and it wasn't very exciting or interesting, even with the addition of Stuart (Bill Hader). Eleanor's side was a lot more dominant, and it was a mixed bag. It provided more interest, thanks to the subplot with Eleanor and her sister Katy (Jess Weixler). At the same time, some of that was repelling. The actions and behaviors that I got came across as redundant, childish and stand-offish. In other words, the subplot has a yin and a yang.

The approach that Ned Benson took was very original and rare. He built a full-length story out of three short films that all tie in together. It's a very inventive approach, and someday, there's going to be a filmmaker out there that gets it 100% right. Sadly, for The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby, the narrative structure felt disoriented. As a whole, the movie was lost in translation. The objective was understandable, which was to showcase how they fell in love and where the marriage fell apart, but it was tough to interpret that from beginning to end. Pulp Fiction is one of many examples that pull off a great movie with a non-linear narrative. This movie was nowhere near that level, but it did a good job in its efforts. Also, there were more things that I felt needed to be elaborated on. The story was lacking a lot of things that would've carried out the premise successfully. Instead, it only felt somewhat unfulfilled.

If I can separate those short films and judge them by themselves, they would've been very successful. They are very genuine stories, they had some almost superb acting performances, and their intentions were very smart. In my personal opinion, taking these three short films and merging them to create a 2-hour movie resulted in a jumbled narrative. The objective of the story got lost in the shuffle, the plan went halfway, or maybe too many ways, and in the end, there was some emptiness left inside. Not just for our two lead characters, but also for the viewer that went in with high expectations. Perhaps, they needed to be combined in order to tell the same story, but it would've been better off as a side-by-side collection of short films, or at least it should've been given a better structure. Yet, this was the movie that I ended up getting, which was OK overall, but I expected more. Eh, it happens.

Score: 50/100

Cinema is an ever evolving art form. The medium is pushed constantly, often within its own limitations and once in a while, we get a something special in its outcome. I do believe the original premise surrounding Ned Benson's long-awaited The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby would have been that type of film. Debuting at the Toronto Film Festival last year, the film was initially shown as two separate films offering up the male and female perspective of a New York couple's relationship. Being purchased by Harvey Weinstein and the awards juggernaut The Weinstein Company, the film has been rumored to go through many different forms throughout its buying process. Once said to be a three-hour plus long cut putting both films together, and then finally landing on a combined version subtitled "Them." If you are aware that there are two other versions of the film out there titled "Him" and "Her," the theatrical version "Them" can be a simply satisfying introduction into the lives of Conor Ludlow (played passionately by James McAvoy) and Eleanor Rigby (played by another staggering interpretation by Jessica Chastain). If you are NOT aware that there are two other complete and different told stories, then "Them" can be a frustrating and ultimately unsatisfying story, with massive plot holes, and many questions left unanswered.

Written and directed by Benson, "Them" crafts an emotional and passionate tale of love lost, regained, and ultimately doomed to exist. Almost taking cues from films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Benson offers up an honest and raw interpretation of love in the shadow of tragedy. Likely not his first choice in which to tell his story, he takes a meticulous paintbrush and strokes through every part of the film with intricate detail, choosing what and what not to tell the audience.

James McAvoy is evolving before our very eyes and I'm afraid most of Hollywood and the world is missing out on it. Delivering questionably two Oscar worthy performances throughout his career (The Last King of Scotland and Atonement), McAvoy hits a new career pique as Connor. Seemingly born of mother New York, he wears every ounce of Connor with such comfort. He listens to his soul's reaction to every instance that he faces. I don't think you'll find someone this year that is more evolved and earth shatteringly brilliant in the way they choose to display heartbreaking emotion.

The ever beautiful Jessica Chastain continues to show that there is a place in cinema for her, not just this decade but for all time. The tragedy that is embedded within Eleanor is so profound and interpreted so fully by Chastain, it's a travesty to not include her in any awards conversation for not just this year, but any year. She pounds through Eleanor with relentless force, gauging her emotional highs and waiting until the opportune moment to unleash the fury and motives upon the viewer. I can't think of any other woman this year that has demanded so much of herself and the audience. It's another staggering performance to an already impressive resume that includes Zero Dark Thirty, The Tree of Life, and The Help.

Where Benson proves his worth as a writer in this love story is in the creation of the supporting characters. The multi-talented Viola Davis enriches every scene she's in with stunning results. She continues to show why she needs to be able to helm her own picture. This is an actress that attacks, and doesn't just take it lightly even in a role that is minimal in screen time. She makes her mark, and makes it well as Professor Friedman, a character that looks all too familiar when watching her speak.

When it comes to Bill Hader, a "Saturday Night Live" alumni that I would have never imagined would take the route that he's been taking post-SNL departure. I need every alumni of the 40-year-old show to use Bill Hader as an example of what to do when you step away from NBC's long-running machine. As Stuart, Hader offers subtle comic beats but a wonderful and morose realization of our generation's current climate. And I say our, but I really mean "my." Continue to do what you're doing Hader, I support you all the way.

Benson also assembles veterans like William Hurt, Ciaran Hinds, and Isabelle Hupert, along with the richly talented Jess Weixler. All of which stand up to the task of offering a little more insight into the characters they interact with. It's a stunning ensemble that is one of the best seen this year yet.

Ultimately The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them hits the right chords. Enriched in emotion and raw intensity, Benson crafts a loving story that will stand as one of the best told in some time. It likely stands better as a collection piece of the entire series with "Him" and "Her" attached. As a stand alone film, it does enough to suffice. A definite watch for 2014.

The first time we see the couple (the first scene), they are so much in love. The scene is filled with fun, excitement, and such passionate love for each other; we are easily drawn into that magical moment of theirs. The next time we see these people, it's like their lives have taken a right about turn. Something terrible has occurred in their life, we don't know what exactly. The movie as well as the characters try their best to keep away from that topic (people who have read about the movie might know what has happened, I don't want to spoil it for others). Although the path has been tread before, Ned Benson has woven an intriguing exploration of a couple after a tragedy, and it's great for a debut feature.

When something terrible happens in our life, the two things we usually tend to do are: trying our best not to remember it. If we do remember, we try to find a close person around on whom we can shift all the blame and direct all our hatred. The best thing we can do is, accept the situation, and let time take over and do its trick.

The topic has been dealt with time and again, in movies as well as novels. With a little more depth, the characters might have been more intriguing. Nonetheless, I was still interested in their lives, and the beautiful one-on-one scenes in the second half were really engaging and emotional. These characters pour their hearts out, either to let it out (and lessen the burden on their mind) or to make the other person feel better. The one which really stands out is the one in which William Hurt (as Eleanor's father) shares an old traumatizing memory with her, involving her; the monologue transports us to the actual place of the event, and we can see the agony in his eyes.

The acting by the two leads, Chastain and McAvoy, is brilliant; it's the emotional backbone of the film. Their eyes have such sorrow; though we know so less about the situation, we are intrigued by what has happened. The sometimes-fun-sometimes-supportive characters played by actors like William Hurt, Isabelle Hupert (it was amazing to see this French talent as Eleanor's mother in this film), Viola Davis, Bill Hader, Jess Weixler and Ciarán Hinds are interesting; their presence makes the story more appealing. I wish the characters were developed a little more; I don't know if the Him-Her version has more depth or not, I'm yet to see it.

The ending might baffle or annoy some, but to me, it was different and delightful. It conveyed the message it intended to, and the background music by Son Lux was just perfect for it.

"All I want is a chance to just talk it out. After that you can disappear to wherever it is you disappear to."

To be honest I had no idea what this film was about before going into it. All I knew is that it starred Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy, two of the most talented actors I've seen in the past few years. The title had me fooled because I was expecting this sort of suspenseful thriller similar to Gone Girl. During the first scenes I was lamenting that Chastain would probably only be in a few scenes since she would eventually disappear, but what a fool I was. This was actually a romantic drama (or should I say anti-romantic drama?) with two strong lead performances centering on a couple who have experimented a tragedy in their lives and aren't capable of coping with it together. They've become distant and love seems to be only a far away memory. In a sense it has a similar style as Blue Valentine where you get flashbacks of the couple when they were in love contrasting with their present situation. While watching this film I had no idea that director Ned Benson had actually made two movies about The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby from the view point of each of the characters (His and Hers). The version I was watching was a compilation of both those films, summarized in two hours going back and forth from both their view points. It was no wonder I felt like something was missing in this story. If you were to watch both original versions of Benson's film the running time would be over three hours long, but in Them the film is cut into a two hour film. I never felt like I got a sense of who these characters were in this version and I wonder how much it had to do with the fact that so much was cut out of the film. After experiencing Benson's two hour joint film I have no intentions of watching the separate films because I was incredibly disappointed with how vague and void this character study felt. By the end of the film I couldn't relate to either character and felt like they did around their parents when they had no clue what they were talking about (they both use this same line towards their parents in at least a couple of occasions).

Despite the slow pace of the film (the two hours actually felt like three) I was still hooked with the story expecting it to head somewhere. Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy are such great actors that they held my interest in the film and they were a pleasure to watch. The story unfolds in such a way that you don't get much of a sense as to what is happening. As we get some flashbacks we begin to understand what triggered the couple to grow apart from one another, but some things are missing. There are also very strange relationships that Chastain's character has with her parents (Isabelle Huppert and William Hurt). She also shares a few scenes with a Professor she begins to take classes with played by Viola Davis, but those scenes also felt disconnected from the entire film. The same thing happened with McCoy's character and the odd relationship he has with his father (Ciaran Hinds). He owns a restaurant/bar and works with his close friend played by Bill Hader with whom he also shares some strange and misplaced scenes together. Perhaps it was the way that both films were joined together, but I felt like something important was left out and I wasn't able to engage with the characters despite enjoying the performances. Chastain is fantastic and continues to get better over time. She has had stellar roles this year in Interstellar, A Most Violent Year, and now this. Perhaps her breakout role came in 2011 with Take Shelter and The Tree of Life, but she had already collaborated with Ned Benson a year before for one of his short films, The Westerners. If you are a fan of Chastain's work I'd recommend this film, but otherwise I'd suggest you to watch the two separate films because Them felt incoherent and incomplete at times.

Apparently different versions exist. This IMDb site lists the running time as a little over two hours, but the version I saw was listed at well over three hours. It was very long, basically two movies back to back. Many of the scenes were shown twice, from the perspective of the two principals, with differences that were sometimes striking and sometimes very subtle. I found it fascinating, but I can imagine that some viewers will become impatient. (My bladder did -- don't go into this one with a large Coke.) I would like to see it again on video so I can go back and forth and compare versions of events, but I am worried that I'll end up renting a shorter version. The existence of different versions makes it a moving target -- it's difficult to review, and even more difficult for a prospective viewer to evaluate on the basis of published reviews, if you don't know which version the reviewer saw. They say the difference between a good haircut and a bad haircut is three days. Well, the difference between a good movie and a bad movie may be as little as three minutes, edited out or left in.

I'm giving this movie 9 stars because of a single line of dialog that blew me away and changed my perception of a lot of experiences in my own life. You can't ask for more than that from a movie. It's a comment made by one of the minor characters (the waitress) -- almost a throwaway line, really -- about the effect that people have on each other in relationships. I don't even know if it is included in the shorter version of the movie.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby was originally intended as a movie to be focused on a man's perspective as his wife disappeared out of his life. When writer-director Ned Benson brought star Jessica Chastain on, she asked him about Eleanor's perspective and he was so enraptured with this question that he wrote an entire version of the movie dedicated to her view point of the marriage. The two films were shot simultaneously, but times and audiences being what they are, the distributor cut a third version of the film so that audiences could experience the whole thing in one go.

As someone who has seen all three versions of the films (his, her and them) I can tell you this is a mistake. The best way to experience the film is by watching some combination of the Him & Her versions (pick your poison, watching either one first has its benefits and drawbacks, although "Him" does start earlier in the timeline than "Her").

The problem with Them is that it reveals that Rigby is actually a very simplistic movie. It's the story of married couple Connor Ludlow (James McAvoy) and Eleanor Rigby (Jessica Chastain) whose marriage has suffered a devastating blow. Rigby tries to kill herself and when she is unsuccessful she leaves her husband and the two begin separate journeys of discovery. The joy in the Him & Her versions is seeing the different ways the two people experience the same event. Rigby and Ludlow both disappear from each other's narratives for long periods of time posing questions about certain events, questions that get answered when you watch whichever of the two movies you choose to watch first. There's also a handful of scenes that are the same in both stories but the tone and information conveyed is different, showing how people can interpret things differently. All the joy of this is wiped out of the Them version in which everything plays chronologically and we don't get multiple versions of the same scenes.

It's an okay movie, but it will leave you wondering what the fuss is all about.

Ned Benson both wrote and directed this little quiet film – an amalgamation of two separate films 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Her' and 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby Him'. Each premiered in 2013 as two films at the Toronto Film Festival. After the premiere, although it received rave reviews, Ned Benson started cutting the movie again, as a one feature. The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them (2014) premiered at the Cannes Film Festival. All three movies received a theatrical release.

The story is elusive, dealing with internal issues as to why a happy marriage dissolves. Perhaps (and this is not said outright) the marriage crumbled with the death of their little boy (no details of when or how are given, just obtuse references), but what ever the reason, the summary sates a woman and man seemingly so in love finds their marriage is shaken to the core when life throws them a devastating curve. Now this New York couple must try to understand each other as they cope with loss and attempt to reclaim the life and love they once had.

The cast is loaded with stars – Eleanor Rigby is beautifully off center as played by Jessica Chastain and she is matched by her husband Conor played by James McAvoy. But the supporting cast (all in very small roles) offers Eleanor's parents portrayed by Isabelle Huppert (who has some of the best lines - 'I didn't know I could retrieve all the opportunities I threw away then.' - and William Hurt, Conor's father by Ciarán Hinds, Viola Davis as a snarky professor, Ryan Eggold as a would-be paramour for Eleanor, Jess Weixler as Eleanor's sister, and Nina Arianda as Conor's paramour, and more.

The story is fragile and perhaps too much so, as the line of relating the tale runs into alleyways of nothing too frequently. It is as though a very fine editor could have tightened this up and made it stronger. Certainly as far as a cast is concerned it is top drawer: it just drags around far too slowly to stay very interested. The DVD comes with a second disc for the 'Her' and 'Him' version, but after over two hours of 'Them', viewing that may merit watching on another evening. Very mixed feelings.

The sadness of being an incorrigible completist, I have to finish all these three films before writing my review, Ned Benson's ambitious feature-length debut is a post-trauma story of a young couple Conor (McAvoy) and Eleanor (Chastain) in New York after losing their child in an unspecified accident, HIM centres on Conor and HER centres on Eleanor in the same time period, then interweaves these two versions together, there arrives THEM, one can get an overall view of their paralleled life. So basically, I have watched the same movie twice, and certain scenes three times where the path of Conor and Eleanor converges.

The premise is soundingly intriguing, as often cornily referred as two separate cerebral hemispheres, the film allows viewers to observe how men and women think and act differently towards the same scenario, in this case, a heartbroken tragedy. In HIM, the movie starts with one of their most intimate memory before their bereavement, an inadvertent thrill in their ordinary life sparks strong romance with Conor amorously says: "There is only one heart in this body, please have mercy on me". Then it jumps to several months of the aftermath, Eleanor uses an extreme method to declare that their life can not sustain as the status quo, they need to take a break. Conor doesn't understand why she needs her alone-time for her grievance, he is equally heartbroken, but he is ready to move on, leaving the tragedy behind with a seal on it, not to mention and keeps living on afterwards. He opens a bar with his best friend Stuart (Hader) and a flirty barmaid Alexis (Arianda) who is ready to "falling in love with him madly if he allows her". Meanwhile his father Spencer (Hinds) owns a successful restaurant named after Conor's mother, whom he dumped ages ago, it is also a thorny decision for him whether or not to swallow his pride to admit failure and take the restaurant inasmuch as his bar is on the brink of bankrupt, it is a privileged struggle as a rich kid's blues.

In HER, no romantic prologue, Eleanor is introduced in her abrupt suicidal behaviour, then she returns to her bourgeoisie parents living in the suburb (played by Hurt and Huppert, he is a university professor and she is French), she goes back to the college and takes a class of professor Lillian Friedman (Davis), before long Conor finds out her whereabouts, stalks her in the street, in the classroom and eagerly to reconnect. As Hurt carefully phrases "Tragedy is a foreign country, we don't know how to talk to the natives", Conor's tentative makeup doesn't work, Eleanor needs to be over-indulged in the past for some time before finally moving forward, plus, she can spend all the time she wants in Paris, to heal her wounds, after a whimsical but failed reconnection during a pouring rain and a vis-a-vis opening-up in the middle of the night, it is rather tedious for her to realise that she should take a real break out of the Tri-state area. The disparity erected between each and every individuals cannot be compromised, only when they arrive in the same page with the same pace, they may have a chance to start anew as a couple.

As often as he can, Benson intends to throw snappy verbal rejoinders to sound posh or vivacious, but most of the time they are ill-placed ("Now YOU sound maternal" throwaway) and uninspired, as most of the dialogues verge on beating around the bush either without any substantial function or being painstakingly predictable. Yet the two leads is recommendable in any rate, so it is safe to say the film is perfect for McAvoy and Chastain's stalwarts, both set off a full gamut of emotional overhaul and not to mention many close-ups to let their fans luxuriate in the idolatry. Among the eclectic supporting cast, Huppert radiates in every scene simply by holding a glass of red wine in her hand, and Davis thrusts her raw gravitas into her casual bantering with her THE HELP (2010, 8/10) co- star, as an outsider, she is the one who pierces through the surface without any scruples, only if she could have more screen time in it.

The indie soundtrack is an understandable trapping of the prevalent mumblecore output, it's ambient, moody and meditative, tailor-made to outline the disposition of the storyline. Collectively speaking, the films attempt to be artistic and unique, it could have hit the bull- eye with all such a talented group, only if it could subtract the permeating tint of narcissism, and conjure up some more salient epiphany. At last, the THEM version abridges some minor sequences and merges HIM and HER with an intact take on the proceedings. There is no new scenes added, so one can choose to watch HIM and HER, or THEM, either is sufficiently competent to disclose its allure and drawbacks.

The movie really push the viewers' edge in telling it's story. It kind of run on a badly too stable mood for all the entire two hour run time. The story gets to be that frustrating because it kind of uses the weirdest editing style I have ever seen. It makes one feels a bit thrown off in watching this movie. It took me some time to notice that the story flow actually uses the alternating back and forth flow direction. I learned that this movie is actually the cinema release of the two versions Him and Her, each at about 90 and 100 minutes. Well, considering from this movie's atmosphere, that would have been a pretty stressful time to spend by watching those movies. But on the other hand, the acting work is surprisingly a great work in overall, especially by the two lead cast James McAvoy and Jessica Chastain. They both exhibit really nice character involvement in those engaging scenes of strong emotion play. I really like how James played Conor when he has an argument with his friend at the bar. Jessica Chastain did a great job in portraying the difficult emotions Eleanor has.

I'm drawn to most films I watch by the director or the actors who are cast in the primary roles, rather than simply the storyline or genre. This film also had a unique title which piqued my interest. Jessica Chastain plays the title character Eleanor Rigby and James McAvoy is cast as her lover/husband Connor Ludlow. The other well-known actors playing lesser roles are Viola Davis as a college Professor & former colleague of Eleanor's father, who is played by William Hurt. Ciaran Hinds is seen a bit as Connor's father and Bill Hader (in a dramatic role) as Connor's best friend and chef in the restaurant Connor owns.

The plot was a bit hard for me to follow at first and seemed disjointed but I was drawn in by the believable chemistry between Chastain and McAvoy and felt their romantic scenes were very well done. Also intriguing were the scenes between Chastain and Davis. Viola Davis even made eating an hamburger entertaining! Each interaction between these three main characters seemed very plausible and kept me wondering what had happened to cause "the disappearance" mentioned in the title. When the truth was finally revealed and Eleanor and Connor finally got real with each other about their feelings, I actually felt their grief and remorse and cried right along with them.

I missed hearing McAvoy's lovely Scottish accent but he does a superb American accent and I think he and Jessica Chastain are both outstanding actors. I'm a bit of a sucker for "happily ever after" romantic endings so I was a bit disappointed by the vagueness of how this one wound up but was glad I watched it anyway. I hope you will be too!

For me this movie was amazing and I was expecting not to like it. My mind was blown at how much it resembles what I went through 27 years ago. I was riveted and had to leave the theater before they turned the lights on. So many of the details were so much like what I went through, sans the affluence and tidy ending, it was uncanny. I knew the story line and was expecting to be annoyed because deep down I wanted a cathartic experience. Well I certainly got it, I walked around a bit stunned for a while after. I just fear you might have had to really know what these characters went through to understand the shear genius of this movie. Jessica Chastain is getting rave reviews, and I thought she was good, but James McAvoy's acting was what helped me connect emotionally with this film. I really thought this film was brilliant and I want to know how Ned Benson was able to write so accurate a portrayal of such a situation. I appreciate the subtlety, because it made it so real. Benson could have copped out and tried to hammer home the point for those who have not experienced such things, but he chose the higher road and told a tragic story exquisitely.

Despite the other reviews, this movie is a drab and worthless waste of time.

Focusing on the failed suicide of a beautiful young woman who lost her first child, the story focuses, more or less, on the two parents moving on from grief's damage.

The first thing they do is to rip off a restaurant by running away, stiffing the waiter, and falling into a laugh-out-loud necking spree.

From there we get 2 hours and 5 minutes of mumbling trite dialog and stumbling around ill-lighted often blurred sets; with no intelligent plan, drab dialog, other wastes of time.

The woman was named after Eleanor Rigby in the Beatles song: all the lonely people; and they blab quite a bit of babble about it. But this doesn't stand the test of reality, since Jessica Chastain even in her grunge clothes will never fail to gain attention. Sure, many beautiful people are lonely, but herein she's loaded with friends, family, more than one worthy lover.

Viola Davis playing a teacher is one of the great over-rated actresses of our time.

This film guarantees two hours plus of mumbles and stumbles.

Rigby: "We will never get to where we were" Conor: "Where was that?" Rigby: "Some place good"

Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival #5

Man I can't believe for how long I've been hearing about this film, probably since early 2013. It's been well over a year since it premiered at Toronto with glaring reviews, with Oscar buzz surrounding it, and it seemed like a winner since it was in the hands of someone like Harvey Weinstein. The version I saw though was not the version that was applauded at TIFF, but the shorter version that was shown up at Cannes. This version did not raise that many eyebrows and many called it useless. I was reluctant to see this version (Them) first than to see (Him and Her) like I wanted to, but it was the only option I had so I took it.

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Them is Directed by Ned Benson and it stars James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Ciarán Hinds, Bill Hader, Viola Davis, Isabelle Huppert, Nina Arianda, Jess Weixler and William Hurt.

The picture starts with what is one of the film's best scenes. Conor and Rigby run away from a restaurant after realizing that they had no money to pay the bill. The cinematography, the acting, the whole environment created around this scene is something extraordinary, as the whole theater was immediately sucked into the picture, everyone must have been smiling. The sense of joy, excitement and love is tangible. The next time we see our characters though, they are not in the same mood, there's a 360º turn. A bold narrative twist that left the audience a bit surprised. What happened? What happened to the couple that we had just seen on screen? These are the questions that we ask ourselves and these are the questions that the film and its characters tries to hide. Why? Maybe because answering them would be too painful. Because not confronting the "situation" might be easier and less agonizing.

We keep trying to understand what happened, trying to find an answer to those questions through most of the film. Ultimately that's what our characters Conor and Eleanor are doing themselves, trying to deal and coupe with what happened, trying to figure out what happened to those two people that they once were. They are left trying to find that place good. I really liked that the film never threw the answers to our faces, in a big climax where everybody ends up happy and all the questions are answered. Ned Besson gives us enough to keep us engaged, to keep focused and sharp but he never takes the easy paths. His narrative construction was intriguing, the editing of this version was sharp and in the end he didn't have to spell everything out to make a satisfactory, rich and overall engaging (on an emotional and entertainment level) film.

Conor and Rigby, they do live for a little while off the screen. The strong screenplay and natural, fabulous performances by both Chastain and McAvoy make the film shine at times. The supporting characters are more than just background but they are not nearly as established. Some of them still manage to shine, William Hurt as a great scene (the only worth mentioning) where he tells a story, a terrifying memory of his that he hadn't ever told to nobody. Even though we are looking at Hurt, we are indeed transported into his memory in a way. The still sexy Isabelle Huppert also appears (with little to do) and Viola Davis and Bill Hader also show up with funny roles (even though with little meaning or depth)

When the film ended I was left satisfied, but I felt as though there was something missing, maybe that was lost in the cut of this version or maybe it wasn't there in the first place. I will definitely see the three hour two part version (at home or in the theaters in a few weeks). It does have its ups and downs but it's undeniably compelling and I was always involved with these two characters and their story. A story that's smartly built up, that does have its clichés and familiar moments but that in the end raises above the generic, poor romantic films (this one isn't even one of those) because of its strong performance, good direction (from first timer Ned Besson) and moments that capture something true. See it.

Rating:B-

The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: "Them" can be both impressive and unsatisfying. As a complete narrative it feels as if some script pages were lost on their way to the printers. Short film maker writer/director Ned Benson, tries to show too much in his first attempt at a 'full feature'. I don't think seeing the two shorter versions ("Him" and "Her") would much improve any understanding on what's going down here as they simply deal with differing perceptions of the same situations. In the process of combining both views into one movie, too much is expected of the audience, making it a somewhat tiring task - not that this work would survive being much longer - it's already a longish 2hr slog but, it is a thoughtful one.

It felt as if many of the long scenes could have been shortened to allow more details of events that lead up to Eleanor's desperate grieving situation - as it is, we only learn of these through scant references from family members. From the onset we are never told if or when this couple got married, had a child or when, or why, that child died. What makes it hold together are sincere performances by the leads Jessica Chastain (also producer) and James McAvoy, helping to even-out some of the shaky bits. They receive strong support from a diverse cast that includes Belfast Born Ciaran Hinds (Amazing Grace '06) as the father of "Him" ~ French Isabelle Huppert and William Hurt as Mother and Father of "Her" (both fathers seem to have the most profound lines) Thankfully, this time reliable Viola Davis gets a touch more dialog to back up her expressive face.

The Award nominated music of Son Lux adds a haunting power along with Cinematography from Christoper Blauvelt (although some messy hand held street scenes almost ruin certain sections). The ending is interesting but just a little too inconclusive to be fully satisfying. Audience enjoyment will depend on individual patience and care for the characters.

As for Mr Benson's endless use of unnecessary course language, it seems he might need to cut-loose from his New York City circle of friends more often - where he might discover not everyone has difficulty holding an everyday conversation without a plethora of bodily function words that have nothing to do with the topic at hand. Perhaps it's time for a little more 'creative' writing & to consider appealing to a larger audience - it might pay him and the industry some dividends.