Breaking Up

I found this movie rather uncomfortable viewing and I wondered why the two protagonists were a couple in the first place. There was a lot of confrontation and restless, irritable behaviour and this rubbed off on me. The theatrical origin is clear, as it is in such films as Two Girls and a Guy, and the atmosphere is claustrophobic - this may be intentional. I bought this movie because I wanted to see Russell Crowe's work outwith Gladiator and LA Confidential, and this character is definitely different. Russell plays an American and I think he gave a good performance, as did Salma Hayek. See this film for the sake of the stars or if you need to deal with your anger about breaking up, but it is not a relaxing experience.

This is not a mainstream movie. This is the film of a play. And its excellent. I rented it because of the cast. I couldn't turn it off because of their truly awesome performances.

Monica is in love with Steve. Steve is in love with Monica. The only problem is, they don't know why. They don't know what questions to ask, of themselves or each other. They struggle with expressing what they believe is honesty. They wound one another raging against unmet expectations they've never admitted, thinking that such admissions would be contrary to their love. They're both too young to handle the intensity of their emotions, to understand what's happening.

This film is billed as a comedy. As a comedy, it fails miserably. Watch it instead as a tragedy, and you'll fall in love with it.

I have always thought that we should fall in love with people for their dreams, and for their efforts to fulfill those dreams--not for their accomplishments. Love a man because he's a brilliant actor and aspires to greatness--not because he can take you to the Oscars when he's nominated for Best Actor.

That philosophy informs my opinion of this movie. It sets out many lofty goals for itself. It wants to demonstrate and lay out for examination the entire plight of heterosexual love/lust. It wants two actors to carry an entire movie virtually by themselves, playing against each other, giving the film a stifled, claustrophobic feeling--where the viewer feels just like Steve and Monica. You love the movie, but you feel breathless and spent, like you've given too much. It wants to tell a story using live on-the-street interviews, black-and-white still photography, slow-mo vignettes, traditional Hollywood-styled cinematography, and a split-screen interview of Steve and Monica post-relationship. It wants to use music and sound to resonate with the storyline. My favorite ten minutes of the film center around the "carrot scene," where Steve criticizes Monica for putting carrots in the pasta. The action stops and moves to b&w stills, with the sounds of their argument carrying over. This technique highlights the alienation that Steve and Monica feel from themselves and their own relationship. Even in the most heated, passionate argument, it's as if they're just going through the motions.

Like I said, this film wants to do a lot of things, and it doesn't succeed at all of them. For instance, it doesn't really pull off its attempt at using Freud, Einstein, and Marx to lend some credence to its own conclusions (or inconclusions) about love. Some people say they never do become very attached to Steve and Monica--indeed, as people, the characters kind of suck. I would not want either one of them for a friend. That does not mean that they do not deserve to be loved, however--they very much deserve each other, that much is clear. So, I bawl like a baby every time I watch this. (I've seen it about 6 or so times). And I love this movie for the greatness it strives toward. I would rather watch a film that fails at its grand project than a little movie that has low expectations and meets them. Big whoop, right? More than this, Breaking Up features two brilliant performances by Russell Crowe and Salma Hayek, who are both quite easy on the eye, and look great together. Salma's fiery spirit is quite a cinematic match for Russell's own undercurrent of simmering violence (even if Steve is a bit whimpy for my tastes). I love this film. Technically, there is so much going on--the director had so many great ideas, so many dreams, and you see them right there, in the movie. I can't think of another Hollywood movie with such a major confluence of established styles and innovative techniques. Brilliant.

Buy this film. It is absolutely worth it, and fans of Russell and/or Salma should know that there are some beautifully-shot, utterly sensuous and compelling love scenes in this film. Those two have *chemistry*.

I saw this film a few nights ago on TV and had never even heard of it?To see Selma Hayek and Russel Crow together got me more interested because they are not your typical Hollywood pairing. I read some of the reviews on this film posted here after I saw the film and I am really sorry for you people who trash this film, you are either so spolied and programmed by the fantasy of Hollywood films or just don't get it?. Rarely does film in Hollywood dares to go this deep about two people in a relationship and trial and emotional complexities that don't make any logical sense to any of us who have been in relationships that were hard to let go of.I think this film really appeals to more of a European audience than American, because you the US audience always wants to live in some kind of fantasy world, White Boy meets White Girl they fall in love and live happily ever after. Now, if something different comes along that requires your attention and becomes a little too real then you trash it.

What is even more sad that there is a hardly an audience for this kind of film in the US as it is in Europe. This was originally a play and that is pretty obvious from the fact its based on two people without the side kicks of friends in your usual gimmick movies. Some of the conversations may seem tedious and long at times but for those of you who have been involved in relationships that sometimes don't make sense then you can relate at because you can't make any sense out of human emotions then you would understand it and relate to it. I guess what made this film not as appealing to some like "Harry Met Sally" did is because it didn't have all the little cute scenes that like "Sally" pretending to have a orgasm in a restaurant; that's what sells in a Hollywood film but "Breaking Up" is not such a film and never pretended to be either, it was more honest than any film that deals with relationships than most films ever do in Hollywood and it doesn't have a happy ending either and this is where the US audience needs to GROW UP.

Selma Hayek really gave a great performance in this film, I am not even a fan nor did I ever like any of her films but I really thought she did a great job in this film, and so did Russel Crow. This film would not probably a choice for either of them today but trust me if there was a way to remake this film with two huge stars and add a some side kicks and slap a happy ending to it you, then suddenly people will be raving about it. I think this is a film that only appeals to those who can relate to it and appreciate its for the crazy and insane parts of any intense relationship. There is a line in this film where both characters years later say "..they never really understood why they even broke up?" and I think that was what this film was about; what makes any relationship work? and how do you make any logical sense of it when you are so caught up in it emotionally and how do you come out of it and deal with the pain and misery of loosing someone. Now, if you let go of your expectations then you might be able to appreciate this film for its honesty.

While someone must have thought this an interesting premise - watch a couple fall apart, rather than come together - its an experiment that didn't work. Without seeing why these 2 people were together in the first place, their constant arguing leaves you wondering what all the fuss is about. However, with that said, for those interested in seeing early films of Russell Crowe, this is a small goldmine. He doesn't get beat up, he doesn't die, and he actually has some love/sex scenes. Crowe also gets to show a little of his comic side, which has been under used since coming to the US to make films. So, while the script would have been better left on the film school floor, or at least left in the computer for more work, this film has definite goodies to recommend it. Any film with Russell in a bathtub can't be all bad....