Review: Love is Strange

Released: 13^th February

Certificate: 15

Director: Ira Sachs

Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Mauricio Zacharias

Cast: John Lithgow, Alfred Molina, Darren Burroughs, Marisa Tomei, Charlie Tahan, Eric Tabach.

Ben (John Lithgow) and George (Alfred Molina) are finally tying the knot after nearly forty years together. When George loses his job as a music teacher at a Catholic school as a direct result of this decision, the sudden loss of income forces them out of their apartment and places them at the mercy of their friends, family and the capricious New York housing market.

Ira Sachs mines a rich vein of social realism to assemble this poignant tale which illustrates with a quiet dignity the devastating consequences of prejudice. Ben and George find themselves separated by necessity: Ben occupies the lower bunk of his great-nephew’s (Charlie Tahan) bed, while George moves onto the couch of a much younger friend. Neither of these new placements is ideal, and friction quickly develops as Ben and George struggle to adjust after enjoying only each other’s company for so long. The drama is perfectly balanced, avoiding the temptation to invoke interest through histrionics, instead illustrating the myriad tensions which arise from existing in close confines with people with whom, given the choice, you would have not chosen to live. As Ben says, “you [end up knowing] more about them than you care to.”

Sachs and Zacharias have a gift for economical dialogue which, when combined with the nuanced performances of the cast, imbue the story with a seemingly effortless verisimilitude. Lithgow and Molina both shine in the principal roles, Lithgow beautifully creating a character who is ever so slightly out of his time and fretful, but who shows untold resilience in the face of a situation which threatens to get the better of the outwardly more sanguine George. The supporting cast, particularly Darren Burroughs and Marisa Tomei as Ben’s nephew and niece-in-law whose marriage does not need the presence of a long-term house guest, fill out the ensemble perfectly.

As is often the case with understated naturalistic dramas, some may feel that Love is Strange is a little too incidental, and the occasionally elevator music-esque score at times can reinforce the film’s slightness. Personally, I was spellbound, but I can’t deny that it’s more focused on the minutiae of human interaction than on plot. One wonders if the filmmakers’ fear of this criticism motivated them to include an ending which feels manipulative and out of step with the film’s overall tone. Added to this a slightly unclear timescale in the final act ultimately robs the denouement of the satisfaction promised by the strong first hour. This is unfortunate in a film which otherwise addresses important political and personal situations with gravity, wit and charm.

Verdict: 3/5

Image credit: loveisstrangemovie.tumblr.com