Best movie of this year hands down!

Great movie! If you want to be entertained and have a few good laughs, see this movie. The music is also very good,

The best films of this genre always show a path and provide a takeaway for being a better person.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

You expect a romance movie to have something to say about romance, the idea of romance or love. And while this movie has a lot of cheesy dialogue that would point in that direction, it ultimately has nothing to say. And when a romance movie has nothing to say about romance, you would typically expect to see a kind of chemistry that draws you in. And while the female lead attempts to portray this pretty well, the male lead appears to have no idea that his character is in a romance, let alone is in love. And when a movie like this has nothing to say about romance, and has precious little chemistry between the leads, you would at least expect it to have a smart script. Alas, the dialogue leads from one laughably clichéd line to another. The weirdly pointless bench taglines portrayed as "the best writing in NYC" should give us a clue about where the script is going and how the narrative will play out.Not to say this movie isn't worthwhile in other ways. The character of Jane, the editor, may be the only 3-dimensional one here, and she completely takes over many of the scenes -- of the precious few she's in. Her absence is sorely noticeable when she's not there. The male lead's parents, while not quite as fleshed out as we'd like, are nevertheless extremely enjoyable. The story itself is nothing special -- it plays out as melodrama (stock characters in a situation that forces them to act in stock ways) which isn't necessarily bad if it's well done, but it just isn't.Something else to mention about the story: The universe in which this story exists is one that rewards and ultimately revolves around complete sincerity. This is intensely aggravating, not just because it makes the whole thing unrealistic, but also as it implies that the people here have no interior lives. That the only thing that matters is what they have chosen to do in a completely sincere manner. That is, the important thing is not who they are, but what they do. For a purportedly delicate character study, this is a weird narrative choice.There is one piece of irony that is probably not intentional, but which completely destroys any integrity this movie may have had at one point, and the following isn't a spoiler. The line "What would you do for love?" is intended to apply only to the woman and her life decisions, but it ultimately applies to the man as well. Because his own implicit answer to this question is what leads this movie to go into the depths of self-indulgent pretension. All of which could be forgiven if any of the other faults mentioned above were also addressed.

Sometimes I really wonder if there's something wrong with me. I'm admittedly not a big fan of "romance" movies but when I see one that's really good it grabs me. This picture, however, I found to be incredibly boring. Taken in by the 7.1 rating, I thought I'd give it a try and stuck with it all the way through to see if anything happened to justify that score. Afraid not. Berenice Marlohe is astonishingly good looking, but the faultless character she plays is more annoying than attractive. As for Anton Yelchin, I have doubts that he could have made his sad faced character any less interesting. The story is not really all that original and is actually pretty sappy; writer/director Victor Levin does not hesitate to "cue the strings" to make sure that sap keeps flowing. As I said, maybe there's something wrong with me - plenty of reviewers thought the movie was great. Maybe you will too, who knows...

Initial ThoughtsWhen you combine the talents of Olivia Thirlby, Anton Yelchin, as well as Glenn Close and Frank Langella, it is hard to not feel a bit reassured that the film should be decent. Especially since Yelchin is the star and we learn he plays a young aspiring writer who gets involved in an affair. Now, tell me your interest isn't just a little bit piqued.Characters & StoryA 24-year-old man named Charlie (Anton Yelchin) lives alone in the city, and seemingly doesn't do anything but write stories and collect rejections letters. That is until meeting Arielle (Bérénice Marlohe). Someone is of the age 33, married, with two children, and a former model. The two hit it off well, with Charlie using his French lessons to impress her a tad, and it comes to a point where romance becomes an option. However, with Arielle married, there comes a moral issue for Charlie. However, be it love or lust, something pushes him to not care – especially since Arielle's husband, Valery (Lambert Wilson) is having an affair of his own.So establishes the 5 to 7 meeting time between Charlie and Arielle, of which Charlie's mother, Arlene (Glenn Close), doesn't mind, but his father, Sam (Frank Langella), is vehemently against. But considering the many benefits of the relationship, like meeting his future editor Jane (Olivia Thirlby), it is hard for Charlie not to fall in love with the circumstances, as well as Arielle. Making it where when he decides he doesn't want to simply be Arielle's love, so comes the question of what Arielle may do?PraiseWhile I in no way am praising the adultery, I must admit that watching Charlie and Arielle together made me sometimes forget that Arielle was married. For the chemistry between Yelchin and Marlohe is the type which makes you sigh and wish you could have something as passionate, on better terms of course. Though perhaps what I liked the most about those two is that they seemed on equal footing. Charlie was undoubtedly the lead, yet Arielle had enough of a life of her own in which it didn't seem she was simply your usual love interest who builds her leading man up. Plus, I liked the fact that their romance didn't hit that usual conflict of him doing something terrible, or her doing something terrible, and them getting back together despite it. He couldn't take being just her lover, and she might not have been fully sure if she could support herself, and her kids, while living with an up and coming writer - making for a rather complex dynamic in the grand scheme of things. Since, ultimately, the question was: Will the romantic French woman leave the stability of her husband for the vivaciousness which comes from being with this young writer?CriticismPerhaps the only issue which can be found deal with wanting more from Arielle. For while she does provide her own backstory, and we get to meet her children, I feel there is a certain amount of mystery left which can either be seen as alluring or frustrating.Overall: Worth SeeingDespite probably underselling this film, it is highly likable. Would I say it is the best of 2015? No. Do I regret taking so long to watch this? A little. But, overall what made me like this film was it approached the situation with love and humor, and seemed like that is how they wanted the film to be in general. They wanted two people, who at different times in their lives could have been perfect, to be with one another, enjoy one another, and then have it come to a point where it could no longer simply be a friendly romance, but it had to be serious. Leading to the issues of could Arielle really marry for love over stability, could Charlie win her over despite hardly having much to offer but his heart, and would they truly end up happy if they both got what they wanted? These questions, and the way Victor Levin wrote the script, are what pushes this to being a Worth Seeing film. One which I definitely recommend.

A little syrupy and melodramatic at the end, but this romantic comedy is clever and touching for the most part, and Bérénice Marlohe is absolutely radiant in her role as the 33-year-old French woman who is honest to everyone about the affair she's having with a 24-year-old aspiring writer (telling her husband, her kids, his parents, etc). Despite the maturity and understanding of the 'agreement' they have, feelings inevitably get involved. The movie is restrained in showing no nudity and little sex, but I think it was more erotic as a result. It's too bad the ending wasn't a bit more restrained as well. I loved the shots of personalized plaques on benches in Central Park, and the movie's last line: "I will promise you this. Your favorite story, whatever it might be, was written for one reader." I also liked this uplifting line: "Put aside your notions about how people are. The world will surprise you with its grace if you let it."