The Face of Love (2013) Reviews

• Depressing in some ways but also brilliantly insightful and exceptionally made.

  MartinHafer2014-05-29

  It's fitting that I saw this film and reviewed it today, as, coincidentally, it's the star's birthday today—so a happy birthday to Annette Bening. While I really loved this film, it's one that is not for everyone. In addition, it was in and out of theaters so quickly that I really doubt that many folks got to see this one. It's a shame, as I really, really admire this film and more folks should see it. The reason I say that the film is not for everyone isn't because it's bad—it's marvelous. However, if you are a widow or widower, it might be a bit tough watching the film. Additionally, if you simply refuse to watch a sad film or are already depressed, this one isn't for you. It doesn't come with the usual happy Hollywood ending—something I appreciate but which will no doubt disappoint some viewers. Bening plays Nikki—a woman who is still grieving over the death of her beloved husband five years earlier. She seems stuck and her life isn't especially fulfilling. However, when she one day happens to see a man in a gallery who looks exactly like her late husband (Ed Harris), she becomes obsessed. She returns to the gallery again and again and again— hoping to see the guy. Eventually, he does return and she stalks him and discovers that he's a teacher at a local college. She then shows up at him art class and proceeds to make a fool of herself. However, he's intrigued and when they see each other again, they begin talking and a romance develops. However, Nikki is an emotionally disturbed woman. No, she isn't crazy—but she is unable and simply not ready to have a healthy relationship with Tom. Instead of explaining to him that he is a double for the dead man, Nikki tells him nothing. In fact, she goes so far as to hide him from her friends and family because she wants nothing to stop her from symbolically reclaiming her dead husband in the form of Tom. Heck, at times, she even calls him by her dead husband's name! If Hollywood types had done the film, it clearly would have ended up very differently. This is NOT a film where everything is wrapped up neatly or makes the viewer feel thrilled for the lovers. No. Instead it's a film about being stuck—and how, ultimately, that can really keep you from living your life to the fullest. It's a wonderful lesson for us all—but it's also a very painful lesson. Be sure to have some Kleenex handy and don't be surprised if the film leaves you emotionally drained. However, it's a GOOD sort of feeling and you can't help but admire the folks who made the film—even if it's not a huge money-maker. As for the actors, Bening and Harris are simply great—very believable and easy to connect with in the film. I also appreciate how middle aged actresses and actors star in this one. Too often filmmakers seem to present the world as only for the young. Additionally, I was surprised at Robin Williams in this one. His role was surprisingly small and unlike what you'd normally expect to see from him—and I also appreciate that. Finally, the director and co-writer Ari Posin deserves so much of the credit for this film. Despite very little experience in the industry (or perhaps because of it), he manages to create a wonderful story without the usual clichés. Draining but wonderful. Well worth seeing. And, if you do see it, pay close attention to the music—it's really, really fitting and creates a strongly evocative mood.

  More

• Great Cast!

  lynnmartin922013-11-19

  Saw the US premiere of this movie at the Mill Valley Film Festival. The director, Arie Posen, described the inspiration for this film. His mother thought that she saw her late husband walking across the street one day. Of course, it could not have been him, but it was a powerful experience for her. I think many of us have this fantasy of being with a loved one again. It explored the fine line between extreme grief and mental illness. The movie is very well cast, with Annette Bening and Ed Harris delivering strong and believable performances - and chemistry! There were many suspenseful moments where the audience gasped - because we knew what was going on, but the other characters in the movie did not. Throughout the entire movie I was wondering how this could possibly end, but the film does manage to find a conclusion - it does not leave the viewer to write the ending, like so many movies these days.

  More

• The movie is a little slow moving but the anticipation of her coming clean is what keeps you watching.

  cosmo_tiger2014-06-15

  "Am I a bad person?" Nikki (Benning) is madly in love with her husband. While they are on vacation he unexpectedly and suddenly passes away. A year later she is still trying to get over him. When she goes to a museum she spots Tom (Harris), a man who looks exactly like her dead husband. This begins a complicated romantic relationship. First thing I have to say about this is that the acting is great and the movie is very emotional. The emotion that is invokes though is a mix between sadness and anger. Nikki makes you feel sorry for her and makes you despise her at the same time. You know why she is doing what she is doing but you can't help but see and feel how selfish she is being. The movie is a little slow moving but the anticipation of her coming clean is what keeps you watching. She is a woman who is hard to root for but at the same time you can't really root against her. That is the sign a a beautifully written movie. Overall, a slow moving movie that keeps the anticipation high which keeps you watching. I give this a B-.

  More

• Well intentioned and not quite written as well as it's acted...

  secondtake2016-02-20

  The Face of Love (2013) There is a terrific movie in here somewhere, but it misses on several subtle points here and there and ends up being good, totally watchable, and a nice view on Ed Harris (as Tom) and Annette Bening (as Nikki), the leading actors. At its best, the movie dug into the nature of mourning and loss, and in love. The two main actors were struggling with losses, each, and ran into each other and some confused sparks flew. But the hook to the movie, and the problem really, is a quirk. Nikki sees Tom and he looks exactly like her dead husband (Garrett). So she has a weird attachment to him, and leads him on (a little like Vertigo in the second half). It's a fun idea, but it doesn't quite fly. So really the movie follows this couple in their 50s falling in love. With the constant worry that the woman's psychosis will screw things up. You'll have to see. Warm, with perturbations. Oh, and Robins Williams has one of his last roles here. He's nice and sympathetic, and maybe not quite enough for the role, which is the third leg to the whole thing in theory.

  More

• My issues got in the way.

  archiecm2014-03-24

  This is my reaction to the film. There will be spoilers so read this after you've seen the film. It's not to be read by anyone wondering whether or not to go see the film because it will ruin the ending for you and even the middle. Nikki follows Tom because she is struck by how much he looks like her late husband. The likeness is exact, actually. What happens is that she gradually gets involved with Tom but doesn't tell him why she's so smitten. He basks in her love gaze and returns the affection. I had a lot of trouble watching her conceal the true reason for her attraction to him. It was dishonest and set a poor precedent for any future the relationship might have. Since his looks are exactly like her husband's, he has a right to know this so he can decide if her feelings for him can ever change and be about him, Tom -- not him the Garrett look-alike (if that was his name). So my stomach churned more with each dishonest date they had and with each evasive act she committed with her neighbor and daughter. Why? My goal was for her to find another relationship and she was ruining it. When he did discover the truth he was going to be very angry and never trust her. She had to be the one to tell him how things really were. But she didn't. She didn't because, I figured out, she didn't want another relationship. She wasn't over the old one. In fact, she wanted to keep on living the old one. She wanted to use Tom to fantasize that the old one wasn't over. Perhaps it never needed to end after all. Logic would have told her she couldn't play that game forever but she was quite drastically short on logic. One example of this was when her daughter showed up while Tom was upstairs in the bedroom. To prevent a scene she should have said, "Daughter, this new man looks exactly like Garrett. That's weird but you should get ready for it because he's coming down. It's partly why I am attracted to him." Instead she tells her daughter stuff that isn't useful because there's no groundwork. For, "Please understand, I really need him," to work you have to first know what the odd part is (that he looks like Dad) and Nikki leaves that out. So the daughter freaks. So it's not a movie about a woman getting on with her life. It's a movie about a woman who found a way to stay stuck and not get on with her life. I found that very hard to watch. And the ending didn't make it any better. In fact I wanted to see a couple of other paintings by Tom, not just the one of her in the pool. Was that all he did of her? He had a year after their breakup. I don't know what to make of the film. I do know I lived part of my life that way -- not getting on with my life but in my case it was my unhappy childhood I couldn't or wouldn't get over. And I was mostly powerless even with therapy, to move on. It is a sad kind of craziness. It's a waste of a life to be stuck but I don't know that everyone has the same chance of changing that . . . or what happens that allows them to move on. For me it was a change of therapists and approaching old age. I don't know if Nikki ever did move on. We don't get to see that part. As we watch her taking in that painting at the art show we see her with a chance to get to know Tom for himself and of course, it's too late. So now she has another loss to deal with.

  More