45 Years * * * *

Like Brooklyn, here is another film that is being promoted in a way that could be misleading. (Who are the morons who do the marketing for these films. I am sure half the time they go on what they think will sell, rather than what it is.)  

Directed and written by Andrew Haigh 45 Years deals with a couple who have been together a long time (like 45 years surprisingly).  But it’s not a sooky film, neither is it a giggle about the forgetfulness and unreliability that comes with ageing. The story is so tight I can barely tell you much without spoiling it.  

Geoff and Kate are a retired couple in their seventies.  It is the week leading up to the celebration of their wedding anniversary of 45 years.  One morning he receives news that the body of someone who he loved and lost many years ago has been discovered.

That’s pretty well all there is to it.  No hidden secrets.  No uncovering of related crimes or improper behaviour. So how can they make a drama out of that?   

I could tell you what she thinks and why and what he thinks and why. And I could tell you that before, and maybe even after the film, I could think of no logical reason why this should bring a fracture to their relationship, but when you go through it with them you understand it: so intense is the unspoken.

To make a film of a couple in their seventies they had to choose two actors in their seventies and Tom Conti and Charlotte Rampling really know their craft. It’s a pleasure to see them work.  

Everything is underplayed but utterly convincing, culminating in a final wordless scene -  a  simple physical gesture that speaks more than a thousand words.

A good one to share with a friend - it’ll give you plenty to talk about.