The One I Love (2014) Reviews

• Good episode of the Twilight Zone

  voyou-703-6553502014-08-28

  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.

• From Malcolm McDowell's son...rom com grows a brain

  bob_meg2014-08-24

  It's hard to relay the joy I felt watching The One I Love, Charlie McDowell's first full-length feature. It's the kind of film you'll remember for a long time because it breaks so many boundaries. It's the kind of film Spike Jonze might come up with, minus some of the academic pretensions he sometimes clings to. The trailer for The One I Love is almost perfect. It doesn't spoil the premise of the film, and neither will I. Mark Duplass (who also produced along with his bro, of course) and Elizabeth Moss are excellently cast as Ethan and Sophie, two not-so-newlyweds who are encountering all too typical problems "relating." At the suggestion of their therapist (Ted Danson, in a just-right cameo) they spend a weekend at a rather large rental house, unsuspecting of the lengths their counselor is willing to go to in order to motivate them to "connect." The One I Love is a high-wire act by anyone's standards. The script is especially brilliant, but it doesn't spit its brilliance in your face constantly and then ask for your approval with laughter or the occasional tear. Instead, it dabbles in elements of Sci-Fi and Fantasy but doesn't let the main characters (or the audience) off easily by subjugating the human story to questions of logistics. In other words, this isn't a movie for the compulsively left-brained and anal. The performances and plot are engaging enough to make you accept this often absurd but always engaging film for what it is. It takes guts to break the rules, even more talent to make it work. With The One I Love, Charlie McDowell seems destined to reprove the adage that talent runs in the family.

• Pretty outstanding

  Red_Identity2014-08-17

  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.

• You can't always get what you want

  ferguson-62014-08-20

  Greetings again from the darkness. Starting out with a typical marriage counseling session, director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader lull us into a movie-going comfort zone based on our experience with such Hollywood fluff as Hope Springs and Couples Retreat. All that should be said at this point is ... not so fast! A crumbling marriage and the subsequent lack of success with communication, leads therapist (Ted Danson) to recommend a weekend alone at a private country estate. The twists and turns that await Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss), take marriage counseling to an entirely new spectrum. Sophie wants to reignite that early relationship spark and Ethan just wants things back to normal. The setting does justice to the legend of beautiful California real estate, but things aren't all they seem as Ethan and Sophie bounce back and forth between the main house and guest house. It's in these moments where the big relationship questions are addressed ... and the script is smart, funny, creative and dark. It's not likely anyone can watch this without having some inner dialogue, and probably even some real discussion afterwards. Mark Duplass ("The League", Safety Not Guaranteed) and Elisabeth Moss ("Mad Men") not only carry the film, but also take on significant responsibility with wide-ranging personality traits and subtle physical changes. Duplass is exceptional and easy for most guys to relate to in how he handles the challenges. While I've never been a big fan of Ms. Moss, her performance here is quite impressive. Whether "together" or "apart", they complement each other nicely. The closest comparison I have for this one is Ruby Sparks (2012), but this one will have you questioning what makes a relationship work and what should we really expect in our partner. The idea of recapturing the initial spark is absurd, but that doesn't lessen the need for realistic expectations. For the first feature from director Charlie McDowell (son of Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen) and writer Justin Lader, the unique and creative approach to such a complex topic make these two people to keep an eye on.

• "A bit different" and excellent

  MovieSonic2014-10-19

  I really enjoyed this film. It makes a refreshing change to all the comic book, action, romance, vampire, tween-type films out there most of which I do enjoy but it's nice to watch something a bit different every now and then. What I enjoyed the most was the simple storyline and the wonderfully subtle acting. There was no convolution, there were no red herrings, the story progressed at a good pace and there were no over the top acting moments. The gist of the story is that a couple are struggling in their marriage and they go away together for a nice weekend. Things quickly get strange after that. And that's all I'm going to say. Don't watch any trailers or read up on the storyline because films like this are really only enjoyable because of the mystery and atmosphere they build while watching. If you already know what's coming, it massively takes away from the enjoyment. The entire story develops really well from beginning to middle to the end although whilst it was a good and fitting ending for the film, I have to say that I personally didn't like it. I'm not going to say anything to spoil it just that I didn't think the ending made sense after the speech the husband gave just a short while earlier. I wish they had spent more time figuring out a more unusual ending which would complement the film and leave a lasting impression. Also, I wish they had explained more about the therapist but overall the film is unique and interesting enough that these small flaws really don't matter. 9/10