“Take This Waltz” is a sweet/sour Romance movie directed by actor Sarah Polley. You may remember Miss Polley from such films as the Tarantino-lite “Go” or Zack Snyder’s Zombies-on-meth retread of “Dawn of the Dead”. The Canadian-born Polley has made a handful of small films and shows a deft hand at providing fly-on-the-wall intimacy. In “Waltz” we have a couple talking an almost indecipherable baby talk to each other. A group of “real women” taking a communal shower after a swim aerobics class. She has a gifted hand that allows you to live the story instead of just watch it.
Problem with “Waltz” is that it focuses on a story that suffers from something I call “Hollywood Morality”. These types of tales can feature people sleeping with their spouse’s siblings or cheating with the teenage girl next door because, you know, that’s human nature, right? Pretty much a “Hollywood Morality” movie takes Woody Allen’s real-life relationship decisions and presents them on-screen as acceptable.
I’m no teetotaler and I do not possess any books that I like to thump on weekly but these movies can be hard for me to care about. “Take This Waltz” focuses on listless Margot (Michelle Williams) who is married to the likable shmoo Lou (Seth Rogen) who is near-constantly cooking chicken for his never published, poultry-centric cookbook. It is not a loveless marriage, the two actually share many sweet moments and his extended family has embraced her as their own. She belongs with them.
But, across the street from Lou and Margot’s apartment, there lives Daniel (Luke Kirby) who is a very good-looking artist type who has set his sex lasers on Margot. (Sorry about the “sex lasers” thing. That’s what I call “intensely focusing your carnal attentions” on someone but I feel it sounds better than it reads). Margot takes to the attention and the two seem like kindred spirits. She struggles with her wants and desires, back and forth, as we watch the romance blossom while her marriage crumbles.
So here we have a romance movie about a romance that it is hard to get behind: A Anti-Romance movie. But Polley spends so much time with this relationship that is, in its core, wrong that it becomes frustrating. Ultimately the movies main theme- What is New gets Old eventually- gets hammered home but it makes for an almost pointless experience. Truly sexy stuff.
Polley also wrote the film and there is a some very solid sexual material here that will excite. One scene involving Daniel narrating a fantasy encounter can insight blushing. Williams reaction with her gorgeous grin and mildly treamoring body drives it home.
The performances are fine as Michelle Williams is her usual, low-key, self. Her Margot struggles and cries appropriately. Rogen does good work as the wronged husband and you can’t help but feel for the guy. There is a tiny bit of desperation in his performance and he struggles with the serious moments. The real revelation here is Sarah Silverman who plays Lou’s alcoholic sister, Geraldine. She is the voice of the film, a rough-edged Jiminy Cricket, who is the smartest one on the screen. I would have preferred a film about her. At least I can get behind the poor decisions made by a drunk.
Special features:
The making of: Take This Waltz;
AXS TV: A Look at Take This Waltz.