45 Years

— If you missed “45 Years” when it was released and still have a chance to see it, go. It’s worth it for Charlotte Rampling’s performance alone, but the slow unfolding of this intricate relationship is nearly perfect. It’s really a week in the life of a couple about to celebrate the 45th wedding anniversary, culminating in their anniversary party. As the week begins, a letter informs the husband his first love’s body has been found preserved in a glacier and her presence permeates the week. Tom Courtenay, as Rampling’s husband, is also excellent. I should caution that I suspect it’s more suited for viewers able to look back for several decades of life than those entangled in the present and near future. Interestingly, it strikes me as a fairly realistic look at those of us who are no longer young, something oddly rare in films.

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[2015. 95 min. Directed by Andrew Haigh. Starring Charlotte Rampling, Tom Courtenay, and Geraldine James.]
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/aug/30/45-years-charlotte-rampling-tom-courtenay-review-mark-kermode