Take This Waltz tried to be something special. But in the end, the story tried too hard and ended up being average. The film took a basic plot and added extensive nudity and sex in an effort to push the boundaries. In the end, the nudity and sex were forced to carry the film. The story itself lacked the depth I was expecting. Being a fan of Michelle Williams, I was disappointed that she chose such a vanilla story.
Williams stars as Margot, a married woman whose relationship with her husband (Seth Rogan) never seems to have progressed past its infancy. Their relationship appears to be held together by childish antic and baby talk. The lack of intimacy in their relationship leads Margot to begin fantasizing about a relationship with her neighbor, Daniel (Luke Kirby). The pair engage in subversive meetings that ultimately lead to Daniel moving out. He is unable to remain stuck in a halfway relationship.
Margot sees her opportunity for happiness disappearing when Daniel leaves. In an attempt to find happiness, she pursues Daniel at the expense of her marriage. There is never really a conversation between Margot and her husband prior to her leaving. Margot and Daniel spend the next year in a variety of relationships that include multiple partners and intense sexual encounters. But in the end, it appears that Margot's search for happiness is an illusion.
Writer/Director Sarah Polley creates a dichotomy through her Margot character. The split is set up in a painting that Daniel shows Margot of a split woman painted in two colors. To me, this seemed to symbolize the dual aspects of Margots sexuality. Her marriage had a childish and platonic aspect, while there was a teeming sexuality that Margot seemed unable to share with her husband. The theme worked out okay, but I felt the believability of her relationship with Daniel was compromised by the multiple partners. The extended sex scene added situations that made the love aspect of her second relationship questionable to me. Maybe that was intentional. Beyond that, the characters were mildly developed, but not necessarily complex.
Michelle Williams delivered a strong performance in spite of a sluggish, lackluster plot. Her character benefited from the casting. Seth Rogan was disappointing. His character was tedious and hard to watch. He didn't add anything to the film whatsoever, which surprised me. What surprised me more was my enjoyment of Sarah Silverman's performance. I normally can't stand her, but found her character oddly appealing, due in large part to her performance. The casting was strong, but the script didn't offer much opportunity for the cast to shine.
This film somehow eked out an R rating. I don't know how they managed avoiding an NC-17, but they did. It makes no sense to me in light of the extensive sex and nudity. The nudity is primarily featured in an extended shower scene featuring Michelle Williams and Sarah Silverman completely naked. Full frontal nudity for several minutes. The shower is also occupied by several elderly ladies, who also show the goods. I have to give the older women credit for putting it out there like that. For that nudity, I can only say "Bravo," good for them. The film also has a Clockwork Orange type scene, but without the fast forward button. The scene lasts the entire song (Take This Waltz), as the camera slowly pans around the room, centered on a bed. The bed is occupied by Michelle Williams and Luke Kirby along with several other people in numerous sexual positions as the camera slowly revolves around the exterior. Very little is left to the imagination. This is definitely not a film for younger viewers.
Take This Waltz started with a weak plot. It is the love story equivalent of the old story about the dog with a bone that sees his reflection in the river. In an attempt to get the "other dogs" bone, he loses his own. The story didn't have any interesting plot twists, the characters were average, and the pacing was horrid at times. The sex and nudity spiced things up a bit, but were hardly enough to carry the film. Definitely a rainy day movie. Without the kids. 6.5/10.
