“inside the movie” review by Stephanie, Red Carpet Report Executive Producer
follow Stephanie on Twitter at @MingleMediaTV
Don’t get me wrong, I love a good love story. I love a good story that shows raw emotion and triumph. I love the cast of this movie… but there are some things that initially, I was not too keen on. Distracted almost. So I will get the housekeeping done first.
First, I love Jessica Chastain, she is an accomplished actress, an executive producer on this project, and a very good friend to first time filmmaker, Ned Benson. She plays the role of Eleanor and is worthy of an Oscar in this movie. Where the movie gets messy for me initially is not in it’s editing or cinematography… it’s in it’s casting. Eleanor and sister Katy are supposed to be two years apart but look more like 10 years apart, friends they brunch with also look too young to be “close “school” friends” looking to reconnect after the tragedy that happened to Chastain’s character.
Part of storytelling is getting you to suspend disbelief… and that stopped me mentally, I guess it may sound petty, but casting at this level, should not be messy… James McAvoy, who plays Chastain’s character’s husband is believable but his boyish look only creates that “age” divide even more during the movie. What put an exclamation in the casting distraction for me was when the photo of the three (Chastain, McAvoy and their child) is put back on the wall, Chastain does not look like she belongs in it.
These are details an “art house” film should not miss on.
To be honest, I’ve read a lot of reviews, those for the “Him” version, those for the “Her” version and well, the “Them” version which is the combination of the two POV’s into one long 201 minute film. Plus it’s been a 50/50 split on yay’s and nay’s and as this is more “art” than “action flick” I would say, remember, art is subjective and go for the experience… or the actors you love. Remember, you need to be prepared to sit for this film and not get up… for those of you who don’t do math, that’s a 3 hour 35 minute movie.
I preferred the cuts of “Him” to the cuts of “Her” in the latest combined version (HER/HIM) and it’s not because I did not have sympathy for “Her” (disclosure, I am a mother and have lost a child) but I felt more engagement seeing the “Him” and what created the “disappearance” of “Her.” It’s not everyday that you see both sides of the story and get to understand both points of view – which is an interesting way to approach this type of subject… but it did not start out that way, Benson shared the script with Chastain and asked her to be in it, but the “Him” original script did not interest her and so he made a new script… “Her” which Chastain signed on for.
4Times a Charm?
It was later that The Weinstein Company thought they should combine the two to create “Them” for release as well… and then again in this latest version with “Him” and “Her” flipping back and forth for the audience to see their perspectives…and now released HER/HIM… this is a better version from all accounts but it still took 4 movies to get too… and well, it seems that the general audience who might like a movie like this one, may pass because of the previous reviews.
The movie was shot at the same time but “Him” was the first film cut and has a much faster pace to match “Conor’s” energy as opposed to “Her” which is more introspective with “Eleanor’s” different personality and pace being slower, tortured.
If you’re going to see one of these four versions… see the combined final version – yes, it is still a long one. Get some snacks and a MEDIUM sized drink and pace yourself… It’s a beautifully shot movie, the acting is award-worthy but it’s one that you will remember as a story about tragedies that happen in life… and to remember to see things from both points of view.
If you go see this movie – be sure to connect with me and let me know what you thought…
More about “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby”
Synopsis: With his unique vision, writer/director Ned Benson ambitiously captures a complete picture of a relationship in the beautifully relatable portrait of love, empathy and truth that is THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ELEANOR RIGBY. Once happily married, Conor (McAvoy) and Eleanor (Chastain) suddenly find themselves as strangers longing to understand each other in the wake of tragedy. The film explores the couple’s story as they try to reclaim the life and love they once knew and pick up the pieces of a past that may be too far gone. Screened for the first time at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, Benson’s latest version of their story combines his previous two films — titled HIM and HER — uniting their perspectives and taking a further look into the subjectivity of relationships.
- Jessica Chastain as Eleanor Rigby
- James McAvoy as Connor Ludlow
- Viola Davis as Professor Lillian Friedman
- William Hurt as Julian Rigby
- Isabelle Huppert as Mary Rigby
- Jess Weixler as Katy Rigby
- Bill Hader as Stuart
- Ciarán Hinds as Spencer Ludlow
- Archie Panjabi
- Katherine Waterston as Charlie
- Nina Arianda as Alexis
