Intense psychological drama

Rating: 10/10 (18 January 2009)

This movie is incredible. It is much a cross between Labute's "In the Company of Men" and Mamet's "Oleana". If you are a fan of either of these movies you will likely love this movie. However, if, like most others, you haven't seen either of them then ask yourself if your idea of a good time is watching two intelligent people in a state of existential dread over the meaninglessness and routine nature of life rip either other apart verbally in the fashion of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Wolfe". If not, avoid this film.
Like DiCaprio's early work with DeNiro in "This Boy's Life" this film is all about an intellectuals struggle to find his voice to carve out a life, to follow his dreams, or to give up and accept the forces that, Mendes' so vividly relates, tend to move us to obscurity and mediocrity. Namely waking up to a life in a job you hate, with 2.3 kids and living in suburbia filled with routine drudgery and your typical 50's June Cleaver types as neighbors. It is depressing. It is painful to watch. Yet it says so much about the daily grind that so many of us go through. We run the rat race, move up the ladder... but for what?? To one day find out that all our childhood dreams are only that... dreams that have faded away with the new day.
Without giving away details about this movie, let me just say it is like a couple on the brink of divorce going to see a world renown therapist. Once in the office, the man relates an intricate story to the therapist detailing all his wife's failings. The therapist nods and agrees and the man feels validated. Then the wife takes the floor detailing all the ways her husband has let her down. Again the therapist nods and agrees with all her points. At this the man jumps in and says... "You said I was right... Now you are saying my wife is right. We can't both be right." Again the therapist nods and agrees.
Similarly, this movie is all about the delicate nature of truth. Some of us devote our live's to it. Other's dummy ourselves down in order to live in peace with those close to us. We tell little white lies to protect those we love... but lies build and soon we are lying to ourselves and have lost our moral compass. Some of us are so devoted to our version of the truth that we seem crazy and are committed to a mental hospital... but truly there is a thin line between genius and insanity and this movie all takes place along that line.