If you believe in love at first sight, take a look at closer.

Rating: 9/10 (1 May 2017)

It seems there's love behind everything. Love shaped to resemble anything you can think of. And all too often, love made out to be the prize. I distrust anything and everything that makes love out to be immaculate and a source of endless joy. Subtle strokes of musical genius presented under the name "The Blower's Daughter" by Damien Rice, accompanied two versions of Natalie Portman walking in utter self-confidence towards the audience (just short of The Purple Rose of Cairo)" Two versions of the same character, in fact, the person you don't know and the person you thought you knew. The story, or rather the vignettes sandwiched between those versions, and the metamorphosis that blended them close to seamlessly, were impressive all on their own. An uncompromising 'wake up and smell the (bitter) coffee and drink it down to the last sip while you're at it' sort of cinematic experience.
A movie that, while mainstream, manages to bypass every mainstream hint of restraint and shows it to you like it is. No air brushing. No sugar coating. Here. Love isn't always pretty. Love can come your way escorted by black sheep: jealousy, selfishness, possessiveness, pride, cruelty, inconsiderateness, shamelessness, corroding dissatisfaction. Love - 'real' love as we've come to know it from our tour of the sugar coating factory that can be human creativity - often has a hard time standing a chance.