The One I Love

Ted Danson is a shrink who sends a troubled couple (Sophie & Ethan) to a weekend getaway that, he assures them, will help them resolve their marital problems. At first, one of the couple manifest better relationship skills, while the other reverts to form. Then visa versa. What can be happening?

Those of us who grew up watching TWILIGHT ZONE 60 years ago would recognize the dramatic 'device' unfolding. This is an excellent take on that premise, with more time for twists/turns in a full-length movie. Some unneeded bad language & a couple of make-out scenes. Sorry- no spoilers here. Enjoy. 8/10

"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.

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.

A forehead-wrinkling bit of relationship fantasy that'll stick in your teeth for days. I found a lot of thematic similarities between this one and Being John Malkovich. Though it's not nearly so dark and grim about it, The One I Love delights in asking similarly deep, puzzling questions about the root of an unhappy relationship and the sense of futility that's so often associated with mending something so broken. Of course, like Malkovich, it's also based around a weird, jolting plot device that skirts explanation for its own benefit. The real allure of that vehicle, of course, isn't with the solemn inspection of its construct, it's with the games it directs with the main players. Usually I'm the first to complain when such an elephant is left ignored in the back of the room, but in this case (if you'll excuse the string of metaphors) I think it would be a case of missing the forest for the trees. It's not perfect - the false-finish is telegraphed and the second act sags at times - but it deserves praise for trying something so fresh, and for evenly exploring both sides of the central relationship. Men will see the movie one way, women will see it another, but both will leave with a better understanding of the other's perspective.

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.