Take This Watlz. Written and Directed by Sarah Polley. Starring: Michelle Williams as Margot, Seth Rogen as Lou, Luke Kirby as Daniel, and Sarah Silverman as Geraldine “Gerrie”. (A romantic drama who’s title “Take This Waltz” is named after the Leonard Cohen song.)

I have been following Sarah Polley’s career since she played the character of a small child, Sara Stanley, in a series titled: “Avonlea.” (From doing “Avonlea” she became independently wealthy by the age of fourteen.) She was a brilliant story teller as a child and developed into a very good actress in roles in such films as “Go”-”Dawn of the Dead”-”Beowulf and Grendel”-”Secret Life of Words”-”My Life Without Me”-”No Such Thing”-Guinevere”-”Exotica”-”Sweet Hereafter” just a few of her acting roles. She is a brilliant director and screenwriter, who has a documentary “Stories We Tell” being aired at this years Sundance Film Festival, scheduled to be shown January 18th, 2013. Now Sarah Polley has written and directed the script for this rather curiously, enjoyable film “Take This Waltz.”

Following it as a film reviewer and writing down notes as quickly as possible, so not to miss anything that was happening. I was delighted with how good a film Sarah Polley had created but not surprised. The last film she directed and adapted from a short story titled: “Away From Her,” starring Julie Christie as the main character with Alzheimer’s. Also, starring Olympia Dukakis as a character who befriends Julie’s husband. A film I would highly recommend. The acting, the story, the screenplay and the directing was all quite brilliant. She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the film starring Julie Christie “Away From Her.” A film one should definitely put on their to watch list.

Now this film, “Take This Waltz,” that Sarah Polley has created, is a perfectly made film. The acting is impeccable, the story develops in a perfectly timed manner, and the scenes are all executed with very exacting fade in and fade outs. I thoroughly enjoyed every minute and frame of this film and recommend it to anyone who is looking for a film with well written dialog that does not interfer with the evolving relationships of all the characters who are all fully developed and express their invidualness quite completely in an intriguing fashion. I am not a fan of Seth Rogen and I even enjoyed his performance.

The film is about whether the familiar and loving relationship can stand up against the excitement and intrigue of developing a new relationship that may show promises of new and more enthralling thrills. Do you maintain your known relationship with its flaws but its promise of fidelity or do you choose immediate sexual gratification and the titilation of something unknown and the possibility of something new that may hold more promise than what you already have securely in your life. Is security more important than possibly throwing your present life away for the unknown. These are the questions that will go through your mind as you watch this film. Why do most people opt for the second and the immediate gratification when that is always available to everyone by the mere satisfaction of a vibrator or other toys to be used as you as your own partner in creating your own satisfaction.

Is the human contact and secret nature and hidden feelings so enticing that you would risk the rest of your life for what might be a few moments of orgasmic pleasure and then the existence of a totally boring relationship to follow. You don’t know what this new relationship will bring. Why wouldn’t you want to reignite your existing relationship back to what you knew existed in the beginning and is now a partnership that is quite satisfying on multiple levels that show more potential then anything that is unknown and possibly the death of your life as you know it to be already. Familiarity does not have to be the end of any existing relationship, especially if you both have creative and imaginative minds and you are willing to act on what the two in the relationship wants and needs are. It’s all a matter of waking up the dreaming fairy to help you begin to act on your wishes and dreams.

I have written what might be called a short synopsis of the film I watched and my interpretation of what I felt happened. Reading this synopsis would be like that of reading a shorter and more concise version of a book before one watched the film. I do recommend this film as one to see. There are so few these days that hold up and one would designate as worth the time and effort to view. This is one of those films. Lately, there really aren’t many that I would place on this list. So if you want to know more about “Take This Waltz” I would recommend to keep reading further. As I stated the synopsis is also quite revealing but you be the judge of whether you feel it will spoil your viewing of the film. It’s just the point of view of someone watching a film as a screenwriter and noting what they would see from that point of view. It is a point by point and scene by scene breakdown. SO BE FOREWARNED. THE SYNOPSIS IS A COMPLETE SPOILER. You may want to view the fiim first and then come back and read the Synopsis I wrote. jk-1st

With a short break and a view of the Poster for the film, the synopsis follows.

COMPLETE SPOILER

Fade In:

Opens blurry, fading in and out of clarity. Margot, played by Michelle Williams, is cooking. After she places food in the oven, she collapses to the kitchen floor, leaning against the front of oven, a look of dejection on the face of someone in a state of obvious depression. In walks a man. Fade out.

Open to scene in the church in a city. A ceremony, possibly a wedding is occuring. Margot is there writing a travel story of the city some place in Canada. She sees this man, Daniel played by Luke Kirby, acted in TV Series “Slings & Arrows,” he makes a crack about her way of pretend whipping of a man that is part of a reenactment of something from the 18th century in Canadian history.

The flirtation begins between Daniel and Margot. Interest is on both sides. While they are traveling back to their hometown. She tells him of her fears of wondering and anticipation. Being afraid of being afraid philosiphically speaking. Once they arrive back to their hometown they share a taxi. It turns out he lives across the street. Small world. She eventually discovers he is an artist and earns his money pulling a rick-shaw down near the shore.

Margot loves her husband but is disenchanted. During a family party her sister-in-law, Geraldine “Gerrie” played by Sarah Silverman, a self-proclaimed alcoholic, while having a talk on the porch with Margot, blurts out that “when I look in the mirror I want to fuck myself.” This is when you discover that she has an uncensored mouth. The two women are quite close.

Lou, Margot’s husband, has prepared the chicken for the party. His mother makes the comment that the chicken is bland. We find out later, because he is always cooking chicken that Lou has a very good reason for cooking so much chicken. Mini-Spoiler: Whether this is giving away a surprise, don’t read this part if you don’t want to know, but he is writing a cookbook on how to cook chicken. It’s a success but that comes later.

Margot becomes attracted more and more to Daniel. This is starting to constantly take up time in her mind. Her husband Lou likes to rough house. He tries to kiss her. She pulls back. He then pulls back. There is a a developing confusion between them.

But she is becoming more comfortable with Daniel. While at the artist’s place, he shows her a painting of a woman whose inner dark side is trying to pull away from the woman painted red. The darkside is a greyish black. Margot’s reaction is negative, a repulsion. She states that this painting is “disturbing.”

There conversation comes around to her telling him she wants to write but doesnt. He thinks she’s permanently restless. Is she just not able to focus on anything. She is close to her niece and spends time with her analyzing her nieces problems. Margot is sensitive to sudden bouts of melacholy. At moment not knowing how or why. Being alive colliding in her mind.

Lou and Margot are quite playful in bed. There seems to be this closeness, not an intimacy but just a familiarity that exists. She exits for her shower. Lou dumps cold water on her and she tells him the cold water in shower needs fixing. She has no idea he just did that.

Margot while sitting at her desk hides when she sees Daniel outside. She doesn’t want him to see her at window. In her mind she reassures herself of loving her husband. They discuss whether they should get a dog but no children for now.

Fade out and fade in to a swimming aerobics class with an outrageous gay instructor. Daniel is watching while the women are working out.

Women are all naked taking showers. Totally cool. Everybody seems relaxed and open in this behavior and setting.

Margot meets Daniel at restaurant after the swimming excursion and a seduction proceeds from both sides in using sensual words and extremely very explicit.

Mini-Spoiler: Sexually Explicit Description. Don’t READ IF YOU WANT TO BE SURPRISED.

Margot: “I want to know what you do to me.”
Daniel: “Kiss top of head. Eyelids flutter. They do.”
Margot: “Grazed lips with mine.”
Daniel: “Neck- linger- left shoulder. Smelled you. Inhaled.”
Margot: “What do I smell like?”
Daniel: “Mixture of sweetness and fuck. Kissed your breast. Getting to know how you wash. Week and a half to get to know your body. Played with you before I entered you. Spread your legs. Fucked you harder than I wanted to. Pulled hair. Fucked your month. Filled you with my cum. Told you again and again that I love you. I love you.”
They both laughed.

Sexually Explicit Description Finished. SEXUAL SPOILER OVER

She tells him she wants to meet in future at lighthouse in 2040. But only after being faithful for 30 years. Right now she told him she needs to go home and clean up.

Fade in to Margot in bathroom with husband. She’s on john. He’s brushing teeth. She gets in shower. There is that shower scene again. Lou once again pours cold water on her. His ritual. She has not idea it’s him.

He’s cooking more chicken. She tries to seduce him. No response. She gets upset. Says he’s always making chicken.

Fade to bedroom where Margot is on bed. It’s light outside fades into the darkness of night. Scene changes quickly. She is going outside for swim. Still night. She announces it loud enough for neighbors to hear. But her intentions becomes obvious why she voices it so loud.

Daniel follows her. It’s Daniel and it’s night. The streets are busy. People moving in all directions. They both get on bus but not sitting together. She’s aware of him. Once at the pool she has suit on. Only the two of them are there. They playfully do a swimming dance. Not touching. Margot, after she gets out of pool she tells him to back down. Daniel stays and swims.

Lou is still cooking. The food is alone on the stove. He’s on the porch. Margot is sitting in the kitchen. Both on either side of kitchen window. Looking thru at each other. They want the other to join them but both want it to be the other. This they feel strongly about. They each place a hand on either side of the window. They kiss the glass as though touching lips. He caves in and comes inside behind her and hugs her.

Margot and Lou have been married for five years. Lou’s work life is the writing of chicken cook books. That’s why he cooks so much chicken.

Lou and Margot’s anniversary has arrived and they have plans to celebrate. Daniel catches them and gives them rickshaw ride to restaurant. Casual talk is what happens between Lou and Margot at the restaurant. It is so much more romantic between Margot and Daniel. But that’s because their relationship is new. They are new. Lasts for a bit then fades away. It’s the excitement of the moment but does this sort of relationship last like that with the one you really love?

Margot and Daniel hit the amusement park and enjoy the fun rides.

Fade in to Daniel’s place and Margot’s under the covers upset. She wants to go away with Daniel but she can’t and won’t. She loves her husband. It’s excitement versus a solid familiarity. How solid, you’re not actually sure, I don’t think. Certainty to an extent, love versus immediate gratification but a great deal of pressure on any relationships as these three have. Margot is 90% just fine with her life and 10%, she doesn’t know what’s going on.

Geraldine “Gerrie” is married to James, Lou’s brother, who trusts her. I love the fact that she is the only one who seems to speak the truth and I like my description that she “got an uncensored mouth.”

There is a party at Lou and Margot’s place, which Lou, for some reason, invites Daniel to. Daniel’s first invitation to Margot’s real life. So is he going to realize what she would have to give up for him? And the likelihood she would do that. Daniel doesn’t seem to care the way he dances with her at party and she doesn’t really show signs that she likes him there. She hates being in between things. Does he get it? Leave her alone, is my feeling. Leave them alone. She has a life. A man. Get your own woman. I think, she, also, sees that too.

Daniel sends her postcard about the future appointment at the lighthouse and moves on literally by moving out of her life. All his bags are packed in and on his car and he is heading out. Lou sees her on street as Daniel drives away. But gets back into bed like nothing happened. She returns to bedroom but first puts the postcard away in bedside drawer and gets back into bed.

Flash forward fantasy: Lighthouse in the future. They are kissing, Daniel and Margot. Is it imagination? Fantasy? Not real. Or Real?

Lou is obviously pretending to sleep. Margot gets melancholy. Lou’s thinking. Does he get it? Upset. Talking. What is their life together mean. He thought of their relationship as a til I die. Margot is listening. Now he has doubts.

Mini-Spoiler. Margot takes a shower. Cold water comes over the shower. She finally finds out it’s him all this time. All this time is has not been a problem with shower water. End of Mini-Spoiler

She’s crying in shower.

Inside, Margot-Outside with Lou again. She’s crying. The game does not continue long. She goes further into house and out front door. At first she is walking then starts picking up speed and begins running. Ending up at shore. Looking for Daniel. She stands, then squats down on breaker. The water is all around her. Eventualy, Daniel shows up.

Fade in. Margot and Daniel are together in a dance studio. Empty. It transforms into a studio apartment. They are taking their clothes off becoming naked and fucking. Next step is moving in together. Studio fills up with furnishings. They entertain threesomes. Then all starts to settle into getting normal. The two are sitting on couch watching tv. Life has become the same/normal. She tells Daniel “I love you.” He seems bored. She is back to melancholia. Did anything really change?

Lou’s books in store window. Cookbooks are a success. Lou is a success.

Daniel says: “I’m glad we didn’t wait.”
Margot’s response is: “Me too.”
They are at the lighthouse.

Fade in to old neighboorhood. Police are around. Something has happened. Geraldine, “Gerrie” has disappeared. She left her young daughter alone. While everyone is standing around wondering what to do she drives up rather awkwardly, as the car weaves all about and she is drunk.

Margot has a moment with her where she shouts at her that “You disappeared. What happened?”

Gerrie yells ar Margot: “You just disappeared. What do you mean what happened. I’m an alcoholic. You’re a bigger idiot than I am. You fucked up.”

Margot: “I wanted you Lou.”
Lou says, he’s alright.
Margot: “Sorry.”
Lou doesn’t want to hear it.
It’s over with Lou. They say final goodbye.

SPOILER ENDING

Blur is back. Making muffins. Like in the beginning of film. Same clothes. Beginning is the end.

She’a alone. Really depressed. Her moods are up and down. But finally getting it. Finding her bliss.

Only one way to fill that place is yourself.

It’s what Gerrie said earlier.

Margot in ride at amusement park and goes from frown too huge grin. She finally does get it.

The End. jk-1st
SPOILER ALERT OVER–SYNOPSIS CAME TO END