[KeiraLover]

First review! Someone on a forum has reviewed The Edge of Love!

Just got back from a press screening in London. This is a real mixed bag of a film. It is both incredibly interesting and yet also incredibly plodding and slow at the same time. It almost succeeds, but in the end is bogged down by its many key flaws.

What makes it interesting is mainly it's lush visuals. The cinematography is by far and away the star of the show. In some scenes the shots rival Atonement for WWII period lushness (well almost, anyway). And I think it is fair to say this is a film in love with it's main star Keira Knightley. Every shot is crafted to show her off to perfection, and her beauty is perhaps even more on show here than it was in Atonement. The opening shot, in bright technicolour, pans outwards from her face, and it is truly mesmerising. Knightley backs up her superficial attributes with a stellar performance, outacting both male leads (Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys) quite comfortably. Her performance also outshines that of Sienna Miller's, although it is fair to say both actresses are more than competent.

Still though, it is only really Knightley who manages to elevate the frequent clunky dialogue. The actress achieves the extraordinary feat of breaking out into song during the middle of a particularly grizzly air-raid without completely sending the scene into farce. Miller and Rhys are not quite so fortunate, and the dialogue often overpowers their acting. A perfect example would be after Miller first encounters Knightley's character. She turns to Rhys and asks "What does it mean when she smiles?". Rhys replies that he's never known. The film's biggest fault is these instances where characterisation is compromised by wholly unbelievable dialogue. These moments also jar with the authenticity of the lush period features.

The plotting is also completely limp. And this combined with the charcterisation problems means it is particularly hard to empathise or care about the characters. Due to a weak script the characters develop through their dialogue rather than their actions. Half way through Knightley's character annouces that she is not the woman that she used to be, but without this declaration there is no way the audience could be any the wiser to this change. It is also never explained why Miller and Knightley are so passionately under the spell of Dylan Thomas. Indeed, of the four leads Rhys is definitely the weakest, perhaps not the actor's fault, and again more to do with a weak script. At interludes his voice comes in with excerpts of Thomas' poetry. But the poetry is hardly linked to his character, and the voice might as well be that of a faceless narrator. It definitely serves little point.

Still, the film is always watchable. Mostly due its sharp visuals and acting that elevates the material. The evocation of London during the Blitz in the first half of the film is intoxicating and exciting. However, the sudden switch to Wales in the second half is exactly the opposite. The characters and eventual outcome is thoroughly predictable. Still, the elements that do succeed do so with aplomb. Knightley steals most of her scenes, and without a shadow of a doubt cements herself as one of Britain's key young actresses. Her Welsh accent is competent, and her singing fully enhances her character, unlike the poetry of Thomas.

All in all, not a waste of time, but definitely not a film I am dying to revisit in the near future.

I can't see much awards recognition. Perhaps a few tech noms. If Knightley is lucky she could score Golden Globe and Bafta noms. I'd be wholly surprised if any of the four were to go on to Academy Award nominations. I think the film will for the most part, pass the Oscars by.

***/*****

Her mom wrote the script...so is it any wonder the movie revolves around Keira? lol