XX/XY

Perhaps the most damning thing you can say about a movie is that it stirs no feelings in you. If you absolutely hate a movie, well at least you feel something. XX/XY denies you even that. There's nothing worth hating. But there's certainly nothing to love either. There's just nothing, an emptiness. The story doesn't engage, the characters inspire no reaction. It's very bland, rather monotonous and sorely lacking in entertainment value.

XX/XY is the story of a young man, Coles, played by Mark Ruffalo with a silly mustache. Coles meets young college student Sam. That would be a girl Sam by the way, played by Maya Strange. And Sam has a wild child roommate, Thea, played by Kathleen Robertson. Right after the trio meet they make their way to the bedroom for an exceedingly awkward threesome. They end up in a weird sort of friendship with Coles and Sam a couple and Thea floating around off to the side. And then Coles, who is at heart a jerk, does some jerky things and the whole thing implodes.

It is now years later. You can tell it's years later because Coles no longer has a mustache. Now he's in a long-term relationship with a woman named Claire. They're not married but they may as well be, that's the type of relationship they have. And then out of the clear blue sky Sam shows up and you can guess what happens from there. Jerky Coles decides he's wanted Sam all along. Wild child Thea re-enters the picture too, although she's not wild anymore, actually settled down and showing some signs of maturity. Maturity is clearly not something Coles possesses. He acts like a spoiled child and screws things up all over again. Sam's not much better. Poor Claire is there to serve as the aggrieved party, someone for you to feel sorry for. But again this movie really fails to make you feel anything. The key characters are unsympathetic, but not so much so that you can muster up any hate for them. The movie just sits there, nothing grabs you. It's all very predictable, it's not all very entertaining. The best thing you can say about the movie is that the performances are pretty good. It's a fine cast, they just have no material to work with. The focus is on the trio from the first part of the film but if there's any truly memorable moment in the whole film it belongs to Claire. She has a moment where she states the truth about all that has gone on, bluntly and honestly, something nobody else is willing to do. It's a strong moment for the character and for actress Petra Wright. But the movie can't even let us have that moment. It cheapens it, essentially nullifies it, later on by having Claire do something she quite simply should not do. In a smarter, better movie she would do no such thing. Here it's the final unsatisfying piece in an unsatisfying film.

I have a general positive bias towards this film because I have experienced so much of what many of these characters went through and thus was able to relate quite well. It is a film that is very in tune with the real emotions that one goes through when presented with such a bizarre situation. Even for those who have not encountered the kind of problems presented in this film it still will leave the viewer with many quandaries left to answer and will allow your mind to venture into places you did not know you could go. The writer of this film, I am almost sure, must have been through much of what was depicted in the film...it seems almost biographical. I look forward to seeing more of what this writer has to offer.

Austin Chick has done wonders with "XX/XY". It's almost as though he is working in solving a mathematical equation. In the process, he makes us follow the three principals, Coles, Maya and Thea throughout almost ten years to see what become of the characters. Mr. Chick is a film maker in tune with young people, their language, their interplay, and their sexual discoveries.

In securing the services of Mark Ruffalo for the pivotal role of Coles, the director is blessed as well with wonderful performances all around. Mr. Ruffalo has become one of the best actors working in the American cinema. He always bring such an intensity to everything he does, but in a subtle and quiet way. We always know what's going on with this man because he expresses everything with gestures that are always right. There's never a moment wrong in Mr. Ruffalo's portrayal of Coles.

The story begins in 1993 as the original friends, Coles, Thea and Maya explore their sexual awakenings in unorthodox ways. Coles is the man who lusts after both room mates, but it's obvious that Maya is the one that gets the best of him until their separation.

As the story turns to the present time. We see Coles in a relationship with Claire, the 'together' young woman who seems secure enough with Coles never to pressure him into a marriage, because she feels he is committed to staying with her. Their life together suddenly takes a spin with the reemergence of Maya, who has been away in London all these years. Her presence unravels Coles to the point of betrayal to Claire. It is Claire who gets the last laugh as she confronts Coles to tell him how ahead of the game she really is.

The last scene is enigmatic. We watch Coles and Claire standing by the door. Coles is trying to hold it open, but Claire succeeds in closing it, and as a chapter in their relationship has ended.

The two principals, Maya Strange, as Sam, and Kathleen Robertson, as Thea, are excellent as the college girls that love to have fun. However, one has a feeling that it's Petra Wright, who plays Claire, that gives the strongest performance. Ms. Wright has a luminous aura about her; she overshadows the others. One realizes that Coles needs her and she loves him.

Bravo to Austin Chick for a job well done.

Three college-age swingers "get together" for some fun, and in the course of a few months grow emotionally close to each other. The central character is Coles (Mark Ruffalo), a libertine who draws artwork and wants to be a filmmaker. The two women are attractive, and as arty and modern in outlook as Coles. But over time, the three drift apart. Five years later Coles and one of the ladies cross paths, which sparks a reunion between the three, together with their current mates. "XX/XY" is a cinematic study in growing up, making decisions, and accepting responsibility for those decisions.

The screenplay is weak, with a mediocre premise, an Act Two that dawdles and meanders, and dialogue that is not memorable. Still, the overall acting is strong enough to overcome the screenplay, and render a film that is mildly entertaining and engaging. It's certainly better than what I had expected.

The film's cinematography is not remarkable, but it's not bad either. I don't recall a film with so many close-up shots. It's as if the director wanted to emphasize that the film is a character study, by zooming in close to each of the main characters, over and over and over. I could have wished for more variety in camera techniques.

Also, given the romantic angle of the story and the arty personalities, I could have wished for a more bohemian cinematic style, along the lines of "Plein soleil"(1960), with dazzling colors and music, and more flair in production design. The apparent low budget of "XX/XY" renders a style that is somewhat pedestrian and bland.

But as is, "XX/XY" is not a bad film. It's worth at least a one time visit, especially for youthful viewers still searching for themselves and not yet committed to any particular path in life.

"XX/XY" is a relationship flick about an FFM trio of young adults who become close, drift apart, and then rediscover each other years later only to find their reunion raises issues about mate selection. The film is a naive drone of chick flick yammering which fleshes out the core characters superficially leaving the audience to marginally engaged voyeurism. It does, however, paint a somewhat realistic picture of the trade-offs life requires as opposed to wandering into romantic fantasyland. An okay drama-lite for the less than middle-age crowd. (C+)