THE ONE I LOVE (R)
Released by Radius TWC
Review by Adam Mast
Nothing is quite as it seems in director Charlie McDowell’s wonderfully creative, THE ONE I LOVE. This is a very tricky movie to review because devling too far into plot specifics would ruin the quirky surprises and bizarre mystery at the heart of THE ONE I LOVE. Therefore, I’ll tread lightly.
In THE ONE I LOVE, Mark Duplass (SAFETY NOT GUARNTEED) and Emily Moss (MAD MEN) play Ethan and Sophie, a married couple whose relationship has come to a crossroads. At the recommendation of thier therapist, Ethan and Sophie are sent to a resort to work out their issues. Upon arrival, they make every effort to salvage their relationship, but before long, they are forced to see each other for who they truly are through an odd set of circumstances.
THE ONE I LOVE starts out as a quintessential rom-com but once Ethan and Sophie check into the resort, this movie quickly takes a detour into THE TWILIGHT ZONE. It’s the kind of eccentric, offbeat character piece you might expect from someone like Spike Jonze or Charlie Kaufman. And yes, that’s a compliment.
Duplass is wonderfully disarming as Ethan while Emily Moss is an absolute delight as Sophie. As a team they are asked to engage in a pretty far-out-there concept, but these terrific performers keep the fantastical proceedings firmly grounded in reality.
Yes, this movie certainly gets weird, but it’s very honest and insightful in it’s overall look at relationships and while the ambiguity and lack of a real explanation at the end of the picture might rub some folks the wrong way, I thougt THE ONE I LOVE was very innovative and incredibly entertaining.
THE ONE I LOVE is currently in limited release and is expected to roll out wider in the coming weeks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCOvhojlZzQ
