6 ans

Hannah Fidell writes and directs her third feature film 6 Years, a film about the youngest love and what happens when it arrives at a pivotal crossroads.

We all know someone or have experienced that first love, it feels ideal and true, almost too much so, and 6 Years examines that relationship when the persons in the relationship begin to evolve.

6 Years could not be more indie in content if it tried. Okay, that's a bold faced lie, but it is very 'indie'. It has a mundane but appreciable quality in its grasp on real and un-exaggerated relationship dynamics. The events that transpire are unremarkable but contain weight and merit in their impact on the couple, Dan and Mel. Mundane is not necessarily bad, however those wishing to use cinema as a form of escapism should look elsewhere.

Both Hannah Fidell's writing and the performances of Taissa Farmiga and Ben Rosenfield make 6 Years incredibly engaging and honest. The characters are flawed, neither innocent as their relationship becomes increasingly volatile, and at times they can be purely irredeemable. Their emotions are pure and some more elder actors might learn a thing or two from these gifted talents.

Less experienced independent film watchers tend to have a problem with complex characters who exist rather than trying to win over the audience. Further, when it comes down to the plot and drama in the film, it is quite youthful in its simplicity. Twenty-somethings should be able to see themselves in the film and appreciate its sincere approach to love and relationships.

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This is just a very slow movie, with an ending that you can predict right from the start. The actors are not very convincing and nothing really interesting happens. All the characters do is drink and party, but even that is not fun to watch. The hipster friends/colleagues are just downright annoying to watch, but I guess that makes them realistic.

The only positive I can think of is that you could turn this into a drinking game, for every time somebody says "what the f?!". That seems to be the only line, and pretty much every character says it all the time. Probably true to life, but a bit boring to watch.

....cause seing her running them 10 times a minute robbed me of all the attention to their acting which aside from this was great and gave credibility to a very realistic portrayal of a teen-gone-adult relation and it's challenges!

6 Years is a movie that feels more like a draft than a final product. Everything feels underdeveloped, especially the two leads. Mel and Dan are both awful people, and it feels like Hannah Fidell herself doesn't empathize with her characters. These are the people we're supposed to at least be invested in, but what's the point if neither the filmmaker nor the audience likes these people or wants them to be together? I get that this isn't a love story, but there still should be a certain level of empathy for the characters. However, there is none, and they're both careless without any sense of self-awareness.

To be fair, Taissa Farmiga and Rosenfield both do very well with the material they're given. They improvised just about everything, though they couldn't do much beyond what Fidell gave them. Even though I'm writing this a few years after the film's release, I still hope they have lasting careers. They're believable as a couple, and they sell the final scene.

I also think Fidell herself deserves some credit for exploring unhealthy relationships. Though I think it could have been done much better, unhealthy relationships are not often portrayed outside the Lifetime lens, so for her to create complex characters in this situation deserves commendation.

Do I recommend it? I dunno. I cried when I watched it, but that was likely because I'd just had a breakup. If you've got time to kill, go for it, but it's not going to be the thought-provoking, life-altering experience it clearly wants to be.

I am bothered considerably to note how familiar I found this story. It's not the first film to portray a young romance filled with passion and volatility. But most lack the authenticity of 6 Years.

The characters are RAW. There is no hero here. Not since Blue Valentine have I seen characters expose such intimate flaws, while still maintaining empathy.

Credit for this should be awarded to the improv heavy style and insanely talented actors. Rosenfield is effortless perfection. His bargaining pleas were heartfelt and his retaliations so cold. Farmiga shone as both victim and aggressor. The grief and the rage and regret in her face felt far too real.

I think this movie will gain more favour with those who find it relate-able. Well worth the watch for me.