Passione innocente

It appears Drake Doremus is fascinated by English-American relationships to the point of obsession. I didn't see his previous film Like Crazy as it was a little too close to home for me and I didn't wanna risk the potential dreary things it had to say. But then, maybe Doremus is just fascinated by Felicity Jones. Although I loved her in Cemetery Junction, I haven't seen any of her films since. She has a strange screen presence where she can go from charming to icy, perhaps at will. And maybe that suits this quiet and subtle film. Much like the perspective of its protagonist, a stifled artist played by Guy Pearce, Breathe In plays its first hour deliberately close to the chest with cold mundane sequences detailing the characters plain routine of life. It captures it in voyeuristic cinematography, saturating their world in dull blues and greys.

With improvised dialogue from the actors in an attempt to feel its way through the drama of the film, acting can sometimes feel natural but more often than not, it can feel awkward. It's a double-edged sword in its style of choice, one that's a risk in if it'll pay off. It's a slow build, and unfortunately one that feels like it's not setting up enough. But this is a difficult topic. Older man and younger woman relationships can often feel uncomfortable, especially when it's a challenge to get the audience to sympathise with such privileged characters in the first place. If there was one thing that could save Breathe In from averageness, it was making the core relationship sincere. And a pleasant surprise, it won me over. It taps into the human condition and reveals the emotional needs that bind us all. That connection bolsters the film significantly and makes its relatively urgent third act all the more compelling. While it can feel unnecessarily melancholic, Breathe In is a film of rewarding delicate touches if in small doses.

7/10

Every moment between stars Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones is memorable, unfortunately, even a great cast, fine performances and solid cinematography couldn't combat against a weak script.

No mere love story, "Breathe In" is a quietly powerful film about two people who are eloquently and achingly swept up in a deep "connection" that defies description. To label this honest and beautiful film a "family drama" does it an injustice, but if that's what it is, then "Breathe In" is the best family drama I have ever seen. Felicity Jones as Sophie, the visitor, is captivating -- insightful, kind, and vaguely troubled. Sophie also happens to be a piano prodigy, perhaps an allusion to being a sort of "prodigal daughter." The film's atmosphere is masterful,an outstanding collaboration of cinematography, production design, and music. Breathe In maintains tension without ever becoming shrill,oppressive, or melodramatic, a balance that has been difficult to strike in so many of the "family dramas" that have come before it.

"Breathe In" is a film whose plot sounds a bit salacious. And, considering it's a rated R film, I was a bit apprehensive to see the movie. After all, the film is about a man who falls in love with the high school exchange student that he and his wife took into their home. However, the film turned out to be extremely well made and not at all what I expected. And, I have no idea why it's rated R, as the film has no nudity, violence and the language is awfully tame. Overall, it's well worth your time finding this film--and it's available as of this week with Netflix.

When the story begins, Keith Reynolds (Guy Pearce) and his wife Megan (Amy Ryan) seem to have a very good life. Their daughter is a pretty high school athlete, they have a lovely home in the suburbs and the marriage seems strong. All of this is shaken shortly after they take in Sophie (Felicity Jones)--an exchange student from Britain. You begin to notice that there are some problems in the Reynolds marriage. Keith is a frustrated musician who dreams of leaving his teaching job to be a full-time musician. However, Megan won't even consider this and insists that he must continue working to keep the family just as it is now. And, she is quite dismissive of his dreams and seems to have little desire to connect with his love of music. Here is where Sophie comes into the picture. She is a great pianist herself and loves Keith's music. She also encourages him with his dream of joining a great orchestra. So, as the film progresses, the pair become closer and closer. And so, when they begin to feel inappropriate feelings towards each other (especially since he is her teacher), it's not especially surprising and, in some ways, it's expected by the viewer. However, and this is important, the film is NOT meant as a romance or endorsement for middle-aged men to have sex with young exchange students. Instead, it's a character study about loneliness within a marriage--loneliness which may push someone to consider making some very stupid choices.

So why do I recommend the film? Well, the film is so well made in so many ways. The acting (particularly by Pearce and Jones) is so good because it seems so real. And, the director did a nice job of combining this acting, a nice and provocative script and some really wonderful emotive music into a great little package. I also liked it because it really makes you think and assess where you are in your life. It really struck close to home for me and my own marriage. For me, it was actually very affirming because my own wife went through a mid-life crisis like Keith Reynolds--wanting to give up a very lucrative career as an engineer to become a fiction writer. But, unlike Megan, I thought this was great. Sure, it might mean giving up a lot for the family so that she could follow her dream...but we also knew it would kill her if she didn't--and she is worth the sacrifice. And, in the end, we are all so much better for it--she is quite successful and the change has definitely been for the better for not just her but the entire family.

As I mentioned above, this film just came out on Netflix this week and is well worth seeing--particularly with your partner or other loved ones. Don't worry about the R rating--it's also fine for you to see with your teens or mother! I also noticed a reviewer who saw the film as tedious. Well, I sure didn't and it kept my interest throughout.

One of the problems with casting a person for a teenage role who is actually way older, is that you get an inaccurate depiction of what a teen is really like. This is true in terms of both looks and emotion.

I admit that I've met some 18 year old girls who seemed way older. But I never saw them deal with life crises. I bet they would not have dealt with them the way a 28 year old would. Felicity Jones was much older in real life than the character she played. In reality the male lead was only 16 years older than her. But he is probably supposed to be about 25 years older.

The attractive young woman who shares the male lead's interests and passions is a symbol of the disappointment of his life. His wife cannot relate to him, and perhaps never could. She was probably just humoring his musical lifestyle when they were young.

Ironically, the young girl will probably grow up to be just like his wife. She'll want a house in the country and a husband with a steady conventional job.

Not much happens in this film. It is all innuendo and atmosphere. But both of those are done beautifully. Upstate New York looks exquisite, the shots of the beautiful young woman are artistically pleasing, and the classical music fits the scenes perfectly.

Credit is due to the actors for portraying longing, and stifling dissatisfaction with aplomb. You feel their desperation without them saying much. Having said that, I would have appreciated at least one monologue from the male about how he really feels. If he could take down his guard for a few minutes and let it all out, that would have made the film. You could still keep all the subtle moments, but let him break down once and tell us something about how it feels.

My favorite scene is when the neighbor guy cavalierly says what is on both their minds. That was refreshing. He simply states that his neighbor has a hot young thing living with him and asks him what it's like. Then he says that it would be great to be young again.

This was a piece of self-indulgent art, but certainly worth viewing if you have the patience. Great cinematography, stellar acting, and plenty of mood music.