Starring: Jim Broadbent, Lindsay Duncan, and Jeff Goldblum
A rainy weekend means one thing for most people — staying at home and getting some R&R. Whether burying ourselves in movies, video games, or nice fluffy pillows, I'm sure we all are finding some way to enjoy the rainy weather. For me, the rain drops falling means the same old stuff. I'm headed to the movies to check out the latest and greatest in theaters. The latest, but not exactly the greatest, arriving in indie cinemas this weekend is Roger Michell's British drama Le Week-End.
After thirty years of marriage, Nick and Meg Burrows (Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan) are returning to the city where they honeymooned three decades ago. They're returning to Paris. Things aren't so rosy this time around, however. Looking to be frugal, Nick chooses a rather drab hotel. Looking to enjoy the town no matter what the cost on the other hand, Meg vetoes her husband's hotel selection and opts for a more opulent establishment. As the weekend ensues, the foundations of this couple's long-lasting marriage are shaken by secret after secret and disagreement after disagreement. During the trip, they run into Morgan (Jeff Goldblum), a former disciple of Nick who shakes things up.
Le Week-End is a low-key British drama that highlights the inherent challenges of lifelong marriage in a decidedly realistic way. In director Roger Michell's sharp drama, Nick and Meg Burrows fall in and out of love with one another on countless occasions. What's interesting is that he juxtaposes the rocky road of their relationship with arguably the most romantic city in the world. As we watch Nick and Meg bicker and make up again and again, we're also visually treated to beautiful panoramic shots of the city that perfectly complement this warring couple.
The acting in Le Week-End is top notch. Jim Broadbent and Lindsay Duncan are evenly matched on screen. For his part as Nick, Broadbent brings the comedy with loads of lighthearted, dirty humor. He also brings a lot of heart to the film as his character is clearly the more overtly emotional of the two lovers. As usual, he delivers a strong performance. For her part as Meg, Lindsay Duncan delivers quite a bit of caustic wit. Though the tougher one in their marriage, her character is also a bit flighty and unpredictable. Meg may even be a kleptomaniac in the closet. All of this plays to Lindsay Duncan's strengths as an actress and enables her to deliver a strong performance as well. In a minor role, we have the always enjoyable Jeff Goldblum as the cheery, dopey Morgan.
Though I enjoyed Le Week-End, I'm not exactly running to the mountaintops to shout about its greatness. Roger Michell's marriage drama gets a strong 0.06% rating. Have some Sauvignon Blanc during their homage to Jean-Luc Godard’s Bande à part.
