45 Years (2015)

[Scottie]

In this exquisitely calibrated film, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay perform a subtly off-kilter pas de deux as Kate and Geoff, an English couple who, on the eve of an anniversary celebration, find their long marriage shaken by the arrival of a letter to Geoff that unceremoniously collapses his past into their shared present. Director Andrew Haigh carries the tradition of British realist cinema to artful new heights in 45 Years, weaving the momentous into the mundane as the pair go about their daily lives, while the evocatively flat, wintry Norfolk landscape frames their struggle to maintain an increasingly untenable status quo. Loosely adapting a short story by David Constantine, Haigh shifts the focus from the slightly erratic Geoff to Kate, eliciting a remarkable, nuanced portrayal by Rampling of a woman’s gradual metamorphosis from unflappable wife to woman undone.

Disc Features
DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITION:

2K digital transfer, supervised by director Andrew Haigh, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Audio commentary featuring Haigh and producer Tristan Goligher
New documentary featuring interviews with Haigh, Goligher, actors Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, editor Jonathan Alberts, and director of photography Lol Crawley
New interview with David Constantine, author of the short story on which the film is based
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by critic Ella Taylor

https://www.criterion.com/films/28908-45-years

[monorail91]

[Scottie]

In this exquisitely calibrated film, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay perform a subtly off-kilter pas de deux as Kate and Geoff, an English couple who, on the eve of an anniversary celebration, find their long marriage shaken by the arrival of a letter to Geoff that unceremoniously collapses his past into their shared present. Director Andrew Haigh carries the tradition of British realist cinema to artful new heights in 45 Years, weaving the momentous into the mundane as the pair go about their daily lives, while the evocatively flat, wintry Norfolk landscape frames their struggle to maintain an increasingly untenable status quo. Loosely adapting a short story by David Constantine, Haigh shifts the focus from the slightly erratic Geoff to Kate, eliciting a remarkable, nuanced portrayal by Rampling of a woman’s gradual metamorphosis from unflappable wife to woman undone.

Disc Features
DIRECTOR-APPROVED EDITION:

2K digital transfer, supervised by director Andrew Haigh, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
Audio commentary featuring Haigh and producer Tristan Goligher
New documentary featuring interviews with Haigh, Goligher, actors Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay, editor Jonathan Alberts, and director of photography Lol Crawley
New interview with David Constantine, author of the short story on which the film is based
Trailer
PLUS: An essay by critic Ella Taylor

https://www.criterion.com/films/28908-45-years

[javi92]

Such a mediocre film, I'm surprised Criterion sprung for this one.

[Dubstar]

Originally Posted by javi92

Such a mediocre film, I'm surprised Criterion sprung for this one.

I agree - I thought the acting was very good, but the story was so 'meh'

[imsounoriginal]

Been interested in seeing this since I happened to hear Haigh's interview on NPR back when this was about to release. Will check it out at some point. Criterion releasing it is always a nice vote of confidence.

[acroyear2]

I loved Haigh's Weekend. This one not as much, but could be a purchase for me when the next B&N sale comes around... 7 months from now.

This will sit right next to The Night Porter on the shelf, the only other film I've seen with Rampling in it.

No... wait. I forgot she was in last year's The Forbidden Room, but that film is so bleeped-up that I can't exactly remember what scene(s) she was in.

[monorail91]

Day 1, I adored this movie. Haigh's commentaries on the TV show Looking are terrific too, so looking forward to this one. (But can he go back and do Weekend? )

Took me a while to figure out what the cover is though. Is it

[Show spoiler]the glacier where Katya's body was found

?

[format916]

i didnt realize this was coming from criterion. gotta grab this for sure.

[Jado3Dhead]

Originally Posted by javi92

Such a mediocre film, I'm surprised Criterion sprung for this one.

There's far more mediocre films been issued by Criterion. I was kind of expecting this.

[BluCollector13]

Originally Posted by monorail91

Took me a while to figure out what the cover is though. Is it

[Show spoiler]the glacier where Katya's body was found

?

To steal one of my favorite lines from "Inglourious Basterds":

That's a bingo!