The One I Love

Greetings again from the darkness. Starting out with a typical marriage counseling session, director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader lull us into a movie-going comfort zone based on our experience with such Hollywood fluff as Hope Springs and Couples Retreat. All that should be said at this point is ... not so fast!

A crumbling marriage and the subsequent lack of success with communication, leads therapist (Ted Danson) to recommend a weekend alone at a private country estate. The twists and turns that await Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss), take marriage counseling to an entirely new spectrum. Sophie wants to reignite that early relationship spark and Ethan just wants things back to normal.

The setting does justice to the legend of beautiful California real estate, but things aren't all they seem as Ethan and Sophie bounce back and forth between the main house and guest house. It's in these moments where the big relationship questions are addressed ... and the script is smart, funny, creative and dark. It's not likely anyone can watch this without having some inner dialogue, and probably even some real discussion afterwards.

Mark Duplass ("The League", Safety Not Guaranteed) and Elisabeth Moss ("Mad Men") not only carry the film, but also take on significant responsibility with wide-ranging personality traits and subtle physical changes. Duplass is exceptional and easy for most guys to relate to in how he handles the challenges. While I've never been a big fan of Ms. Moss, her performance here is quite impressive. Whether "together" or "apart", they complement each other nicely.

The closest comparison I have for this one is Ruby Sparks (2012), but this one will have you questioning what makes a relationship work and what should we really expect in our partner. The idea of recapturing the initial spark is absurd, but that doesn't lessen the need for realistic expectations. For the first feature from director Charlie McDowell (son of Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen) and writer Justin Lader, the unique and creative approach to such a complex topic make these two people to keep an eye on.

Boy, was that so not what I expected. That's all I'm going to say though, anything else would be a disservice to those who haven't seen it. All I'm going to say is that it's a splendid film. Endlessly intriguing with some superb writing and directing, and two absolutely fantastic leading performances. I remember Mark Duplass from Your Sister's Sister, and he's even better here. A guy to watch out for. The main reason I sought this out was because of Elisabeth Moss, who's already given one of my all-time favorite female performance on television with Mad Men. I was pretty excited to see her for the first time in a film, and as a fan, she still surprised me. She's enormously talented, and her work here isn't unlike her work in Mad Men. She's subdued, and always giving the impression that she's portraying so many different facets of her character beneath the surface. If Duplass is great, Moss adds that extra dimension that makes her work here nothing short of outstanding. It's the best female performance I've seen all year, if maybe only rivaled by Johansson's turn in Under The Skin. And, well, the entire film is one of the best I've seen this year. I strongly recommend this, and recommend everyone sees it without knowing too much about it.

"We had two completely separate experiences with each other that neither of us remembers." Ethan (Duplass) and Sophie (Moss) are married and are having problems. When their therapist recommends a weekend getaway they jump at the chance. The night starts off great with a romantic dinner but then things start to happen to each other without the other one remembering. What starts off as confusion becomes something that no one can or wants to believe. This is a movie that can not be spoiled. The trailer does not give the main idea away and if you have seen it please don't tell anyone else about it. The only way to describe this is that it has a very Twilight Zone feel to it. This is not a typical romantic comedy or even drama. What I will say is that this is one of the most original movies that have come out in a while and I absolutely loved it. This is a movie that must be seen and recommended but not described. Much like the sixth sense it will be ruined if you know the twist. Overall, one of the most original movies to come out in a long time. I loved it and highly recommend this. Just do not tell anyone about the twist. I give this an A.

This is a slow start, but the second half makes it worth a watch. You better know nothing about the film, just have it and enjoy your time. Because that was the case for me and then I found it a good one. I don't know this director, but Mark Duplass was doing such kind of unique concept small films. So there's no surprise, except I did know I would end up liking it very much.

When it comes to the film theme, kind of resembles 'Coherence'. The whole film revolves around a married couple, except in the beginning. So it is a minimal cast film that is set in a remote place villa. As their therapist's instruction a couple who are on the edge of losing their marriage, tries a weekend getaway to patch the differences. But end up encountering the strange events that pleases them more than what they've expected. When they begin to realise the reality, comes the trouble to fix it once for all.

The third act was amazing. The pace keeps getting better and the tension in the story simply creates enough curiosity about the ending. But the conclusion was very basic and guessable. I liked the honest than too much fancy. Still the viewers look for the answers regarding how it ended which is kind of a wide open for the discussions.

I love modern sci-fi dramas, especially in the last one decade, I have been enjoying them a lot, which are highly intelligent yet casually narrated on the screen that anybody can understand easily. If you had liked films such as 'Coherence', 'Another Earth', 'Her', 'Melanchony' et cetera, then surely would have a good time with it.

7/10

I rarely watch a romantic comedy, and I wouldn't have watched this one based on the IMDb plot description, so thanks to the then 15 reviews that changed my mind. That was a very pleasant hour and a half.

I like to be told a story, and that's what the movie does. This story is completely centred around its characters, the young couple next door, portrayed with simplicity and in a way that lets us relate and empathise. They also act and react like sane and sensible people, which is so uncommon nowadays that it's worth mentioning.

I'll sum it up as both intriguing and amusing, a double source of entertainment. One way to achieve that is to confuse the viewer as much as the protagonists. A very right thing to do, and done in the right proportion in my opinion. We can get confused for a minute, yet we always understand what's happening. There is also a constant undertone of drama. The ending alone can be felt very differently based on our mood of the moment.

Rich writing and solid delivery can satisfy you on several levels. A theatre screen is not necessary though; renting it is fine if you're on a budget.