Movie No. 5 (2016): 45 YEARS

45 Years (2016)
Cast: Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay
Director: Andrew Haigh

Kate and Geoff have been married for 45 years. In the midst of preparations for the anniversary party, Geoff receives a letter informing him about the finding of the body of his first love (Katya), preserved in the glaciers of a Swiss mountain. Katya fell in a fissure while hiking with Geoff in the mountain. She was never found. That was more than 50 years ago.

The news has unexpected effect on Geoff; consequently, it affects Kate, too. This effect is basically what the movie offers to present, resulting in a character study that's so intimate and compelling. The question I had in mind learning about the content of the letter and how it initially affected the couple was: How will it affect the planned celebration? Well, the script has taken care of that effectively.

Charlotte Rampling's performance is subtle, yet powerful. She's best in scenes where she's alone, thinking, brooding. Her face says it all. This performance is complemented by Tom Courtenay's nuanced performance. 

Rating: 4.0/4.0

Date seen: January 9, 2015


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