Summary
A couple preparing for their forty-fifth wedding anniversary receives news that may change their lives forever.
My Thoughts
“45 Years” is the beautifully haunting story of Kate (Charlotte Rampling, “Red Sparrow”) and Geoff Mercer (Tom Courtenay, “Doctor Zhivago”), a couple that is approaching their forty-fifth wedding anniversary. The couple has had years of experiences together, and it’s obvious that they’re very much in love. They have no children, but they have a dog and friends with whom they are close. They live a quiet, country life; reading books, going for walks, occasionally going into town to do a bit of shopping. Kate and Geoff believe they know each other inside and out, and they should, after forty-five years together. But one week before their anniversary party, Geoff receives a letter in the mail. The letter tells of a woman’s body that has been found in a frozen fissure in the mountains of Switzerland. The woman was Katya, Geoff’s first true love. Katya had died in a tragic hiking accident years ago, and her body had never been found, but now, with climate change melting some of the snow on the mountains, the body was revealed, and perfectly preserved. Though it’s been forty-five years, the news of Katya’s body obviously disturbs Geoff, and Kate begins to realize that she might not know as much about Geoff as she originally thought.
The Stranger Sleeping Beside You
One of the things I like most about this movie is its subtle simplicity. There aren’t any scenes where people shout or throw things at each other, there’s nothing overdramatic; this film feels very grounded, and very real. It feels like we’re really watching people who have actually been together for as long as Kate and Geoff have. This movie takes a long look at the relationships we craft, and how little we really know about what’s going on behind the eyes of those we love.
The relationship between Geoff and Kate becomes increasingly strained as it becomes more and more apparent how much of an influence Katya had on Geoff and Kate’s life, without Kate ever realizing it was happening. Charlotte Rampling’s ability to show Kate’s reaction to these realizations is what makes this film amazing. A lot of the realizations are shown silently, without any sort of dialogue. A large part of this film is about what remains unspoken in our relationships, and it does a wonderful job of letting you feel what Kate is feeling, without having to spell it out for you. Show don’t tell is a rule of filmmaking that’s pounded into every film student’s head from day one, and this film is a prime example of why it works perfectly. We’re put in Kate’s shoes as she slowly starts to piece together what Geoff is feeling, and how much Katya meant to him.
There’s a wonderful scene when Geoff describes the day that Katya vanished, how she had walked up ahead with their guide, and she was laughing, and then suddenly the laughing was interrupted by a scream, and everything went silent. He talks about how he walks up to the fissure where Katya vanished, and he looks down into the hole, unable to see her. Katya and the fissure become almost like a metaphor for Kate and the situation she’s going through. She and Geoff were enjoying life, when suddenly this news of Katya came, and the world vanished out from under her.
Another thing that’s wonderful about this movie is its rewatchability. I actually first saw this film during its theatrical release; Charlotte Rampling was nominated for an Oscar for her performance in this movie, and I usually make an effort to see most nominated films. The first time through this movie was heartbreaking, and beautiful, but having just watched this again last night, I found that I caught so much more. There are so many little details that are revealed about Kate and Geoff, and so many more details that show how a girl who’d been dead for forty-five years still had influence. Haigh’s attention to detail, in both his directing and his writing, is meticulous.
The cinematography in this film is fantastic, too. Much of this movie takes place in small hamlet, outside a larger town. Many of the establishing shots are long takes of wide, static countryside. We get the feeling that nothing really changes around here; that things have been the same ever since Kate and Geoff moved here. The colors of this move are flat; not lifeless, by any means, but everything seems very dreary and dismal. The world of “45 Years” feels unchanging, which makes it even more catastrophic when turmoil begins to shake the Mercers' marriage.
Verdict
For people who like straightforward character studies that are perfectly executed, this movie is for you. Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay both are splendid in their performances. The script for this film is drum-tight, exquisitely written, and elegantly executed. This movie is a work of art, and I can’t recommend it enough.
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