“The Widow”
A Review of "Love After Love” by Nathan H. Box
Director: Russell Harbaugh, Writers: Russell Harbaugh, Eric Mendelsohn, Starring: Andie MacDowell, Chris O’Dowd, Francesca Faridany
Rating: 4 STARS, SHOWTIME
The Plot
Following the death of their father, two sons deal with the trials of their own lives while watching their mother explore new beginnings of her own.
My Critique
If you go to enough movies, occasionally, you will be treated to a real cinematic rarity. I call this rarity an original thought. The notion is becoming rarer into today’s Hollywood but then films like “Love After Love” come along and restore your faith in the entire artform.
I am sure a quick Google search would reveal a whole host of movies focused on the trials and tribulations of a widow. For the life of me, I can’t think of one, which is refreshing. This film takes a wonderful and contrasting approach to the idea by having us view relationships in different stages. First, we see a widow played by Andie MacDowell who has her entire world come apart when her husband dies unexpectedly. Secondly, we see a son played by Chris O’Dowd who is trying to be in love but doesn’t know how to just love. Instead, he goes searching for what escapes him in all the wrong places. Finally, we meet the second son played by James Adomian who is barely holding it together as he works through the death, coping, and grieving process with no one to help him work through his pain.
The contrast is a beautiful thing to watch. It reveals the loneliness found in meaningless sex, relationships with no value, and failing to properly work through grief. At times, you will think the sons are selfish for not celebrating their mother’s happiness. At other times, you will ponder over their age and the search for something mirroring what existed between their mother and father.
In the end, this is a fantastic movie about aging and relationships. As I left the theater, it made me think about my parents and never wanting them to be alone. If that was the ultimate point of this movie, then all I can say is job well done.
Be good to each other,
-Nathan
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