Like “Blue Valentine,” a previous contender for Worst Date Movie of the Year™, “Pink Wall” is a nonlinear tale of a romance gone wrong. But with his directorial and screenwriting debut, actor Tom Cullen intentionally doesn’t leave the audience as devastated as that Derek Cianfrance film did. He offers an insightful portrait of a relationship in decay that doesn’t make us question the concept of love in general, instead offering an intimate view into the world of one couple at various points in their lives together, letting us see both the good and bad moments.
What’s especially interesting about “Pink Wall”–and will likely dominate any press the indie drama receives–is that Cullen casts his long-term off-screen partner, Tatiana Maslany, in the lead. With this knowledge, it’s difficult for the audience to watch without wondering what insight we can cull about their relationship–but that’s because we’re all gossips and voyeurs at heart. Maslany stars opposite Jay Duplass, in a role that feels fit for the writer-director, who has himself made a number of low-key films and TV shows about romance and human connection, including “The Puffy Chair” and “Togetherness.”
“Pink Wall” covers the relationship of Jenna (Maslany) and Leon (Duplass) over six years, bouncing between six moments across their courtship. We see them as things are starting to unravel in year four, where they align together against her family and then against one another. We then jump back to the night they met at a club in year one, she clad in a sparkly going-out top, he in a regrettable mustache. The film moves between time periods and emotions, but it’s always clear where and when we are–and where Jenna and Leon are together.
Though there are a few other credited parts here, “Pink Wall” is almost entirely Maslany and Duplass, and they’re both up to the challenge. Their characters are often sympathetic, even as they’re pushing us, and each other, away, and a lot of that is due to the performances of these two engaging actors. There are some uncomfortable moments between the pair in the film, and “Pink Wall” isn’t afraid of showing the rawness of the relationship and the characters with long takes that are an unblinking look at the pairing. It all feels quite real, with that authenticity found not only in the ups and downs between Jenna and Leon, but how quickly they move between the peaks and valleys. Those shifts don’t just happen from scene to scene and year to year, but they happen in a single conversation, which can be a challenge tonally. However, this reflects the real-life idea that relationships are rarely all good or all bad, and you don’t get to see both unless you’re actually in it. Cullen puts us that close to this couple, letting us experience their romance from the inside.
This is a character-focused film, without little reliance on plot, and more emphasis on Jenna, Leon and the actors playing them. But while is sometimes the case with actors-turned-directors, the actors aren’t the sole focus of Cullen’s attention. “Pink Wall” looks great, with credit going to cinematographer Bobby Shore, who previously worked on “The Invitation” and “Goon.” It’s not only that the actors are well-framed, but there’s a thoughtfulness in the approach. There’s a dreamy quality to some scenes, while others feel fully grounded in reality.
Though “Pink Wall” rarely breaks new ground in its focus on the evolution of a couple’s relationship, Cullen’s truly raw, intimate approach helps it feel fresher than it might have otherwise. Maslany and Duplass lay themselves bare for the film, and the audience might find themselves in what they see on screen–for better or for worse. [B-]
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