Blue Valentine (2010)
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The film juxtaposes the blossoming beginnings of a romance with the painful decline of a marriage years later.
The story
The film follows the dysfunctional relationship between Dean and Cindy as they struggle to raise their daughter. The narrative structure juxtaposes the early, hopeful stages of their romance with the strained reality of their marriage several years later. As they navigate the challenges of parenthood and the pressures of their respective careers, the audience sees the contrasting versions of their bond, exploring how the initial spark of love evolves into a complex, often difficult, domestic reality.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
The story moves between two timelines: a past where Dean and Cindy first meet and fall in love, and a present where they are struggling parents. In the present, they deal with the loss of their dog, Cindy's demanding job as a nurse, and Dean's lack of direction. In the past, we see Dean as a romantic high school dropout and Cindy as a pre-med student. Their relationship begins in Pennsylvania and moves to New York. They face a crisis when Cindy becomes pregnant and they must decide whether to keep the child. They eventually marry, but the pressures of reality, including a lack of ambition on Dean's part and the demands of Cindy's career, lead to a breakdown in communication. The film culminates in a heated confrontation at Cindy's workplace where Dean is fired for his behavior, leading to a final, desperate attempt to reconcile at her parents' home, where they ultimately realize they can no longer stay together.
- First release year
- 2010
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United States
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Derek Cianfrance
- Writers
- Derek Cianfrance · writer; Joey Curtis · writer; Cami Delavigne · writer
- Cast and characters
- Ryan Gosling · Dean; Michelle Williams · Cindy; John Doman · Jerry Heller; Mike Vogel · Bobby Ontario; Ben Shenkman · Dr. Feinberg; Jen Jones · Gramma; Maryann Plunkett · Glenda; Faith Wladyka · Frankie Pereira
- Genres
- romantic drama; erotic drama
- Themes
- marriage; parenthood; relationship decay
- Tone and mood
- emotionally gripping; somber
- Premise and plot tags
- non-linear narrative; romance; drama
- Reception
- The film received critical acclaim, particularly for the performances of Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams, and was considered a box office success relative to its budget.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 87% · scale: percentage · review count: 211; Metacritic · score: 81 · scale: 100 · review count: 42
- Awards and nominations
- Best Motion Picture – Drama · Satellite Awards · Nomination; Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama · Satellite Awards · Nomination; Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama · Satellite Awards · Nomination; Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama · Golden Globe Awards · Nomination; Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama · Golden Globe Awards · Nomination; Best Actress · Academy Awards · Nomination; Best Female Lead · Independent Spirit Awards · Nomination; Chrysler Film Project · Script · Win
- Production trivia
- The film was shot in Super 16mm and Red One.; The director gave up his entire director's fee to help fund the film.; The production was moved from California to Pennsylvania and New York due to funding and personal reasons.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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