The One I Love (2014)

A forehead-wrinkling bit of relationship fantasy that'll stick in your teeth for days. I found a lot of thematic similarities between this one and Being John Malkovich. Though it's not nearly so dark and grim about it, The One I Love delights in asking similarly deep, puzzling questions about the root of an unhappy relationship and the sense of futility that's so often associated with mending something so broken. Of course, like Malkovich, it's also based around a weird, jolting plot device that skirts explanation for its own benefit. The real allure of that vehicle, of course, isn't with the solemn inspection of its construct, it's with the games it directs with the main players. Usually I'm the first to complain when such an elephant is left ignored in the back of the room, but in this case (if you'll excuse the string of metaphors) I think it would be a case of missing the forest for the trees. It's not perfect - the false-finish is telegraphed and the second act sags at times - but it deserves praise for trying something so fresh, and for evenly exploring both sides of the central relationship. Men will see the movie one way, women will see it another, but both will leave with a better understanding of the other's perspective.

Fmovies: The One I Love isn't the easiest film to review without giving too much away, so I'll be brief with the details. A couple who are coming apart at the seams, are given a getaway destination by their therapist to heal their relationship and rekindle their passion for one another -- but this is no ordinary destination. In what would be a great short film or half hour TV slot, this runs completely out of steam by the 45 minute mark and drags its repetitive corpse with its thin narrative threads to the feature finish line. It tries to deconstruct a failing relationship with a clever gimmick, but has nowhere to go but in circles and just becomes obnoxious. This feels more like a filmmaking exercise than an actual film and Moss and Duplass don't feel believable as a couple - there's little content for them to work with and they can't outwit a gimmick that has nowhere to go.

This is listed on our cable service as a romantic comedy. It's not, it's better than that.

I agree with other reviewers that the less you know about it the better. It has what all great movies have - it makes you, no, it actually lets, you think about yourself, other people, and emotional situations in new and different ways.

Hard to believe you can get all that out of a such a small cast and such limited locations. Many thanks to the writer, the director, and the editor. Please, does anyone know where this was filmed??

Give this movie a watch and you'll see.

The One I Love fmovies. I really enjoyed this film. It makes a refreshing change to all the comic book, action, romance, vampire, tween-type films out there most of which I do enjoy but it's nice to watch something a bit different every now and then.

What I enjoyed the most was the simple storyline and the wonderfully subtle acting. There was no convolution, there were no red herrings, the story progressed at a good pace and there were no over the top acting moments.

The gist of the story is that a couple are struggling in their marriage and they go away together for a nice weekend. Things quickly get strange after that. And that's all I'm going to say. Don't watch any trailers or read up on the storyline because films like this are really only enjoyable because of the mystery and atmosphere they build while watching. If you already know what's coming, it massively takes away from the enjoyment.

The entire story develops really well from beginning to middle to the end although whilst it was a good and fitting ending for the film, I have to say that I personally didn't like it. I'm not going to say anything to spoil it just that I didn't think the ending made sense after the speech the husband gave just a short while earlier. I wish they had spent more time figuring out a more unusual ending which would complement the film and leave a lasting impression. Also, I wish they had explained more about the therapist but overall the film is unique and interesting enough that these small flaws really don't matter.

9/10

Greetings again from the darkness. Starting out with a typical marriage counseling session, director Charlie McDowell and writer Justin Lader lull us into a movie-going comfort zone based on our experience with such Hollywood fluff as Hope Springs and Couples Retreat. All that should be said at this point is ... not so fast!

A crumbling marriage and the subsequent lack of success with communication, leads therapist (Ted Danson) to recommend a weekend alone at a private country estate. The twists and turns that await Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss), take marriage counseling to an entirely new spectrum. Sophie wants to reignite that early relationship spark and Ethan just wants things back to normal.

The setting does justice to the legend of beautiful California real estate, but things aren't all they seem as Ethan and Sophie bounce back and forth between the main house and guest house. It's in these moments where the big relationship questions are addressed ... and the script is smart, funny, creative and dark. It's not likely anyone can watch this without having some inner dialogue, and probably even some real discussion afterwards.

Mark Duplass ("The League", Safety Not Guaranteed) and Elisabeth Moss ("Mad Men") not only carry the film, but also take on significant responsibility with wide-ranging personality traits and subtle physical changes. Duplass is exceptional and easy for most guys to relate to in how he handles the challenges. While I've never been a big fan of Ms. Moss, her performance here is quite impressive. Whether "together" or "apart", they complement each other nicely.

The closest comparison I have for this one is Ruby Sparks (2012), but this one will have you questioning what makes a relationship work and what should we really expect in our partner. The idea of recapturing the initial spark is absurd, but that doesn't lessen the need for realistic expectations. For the first feature from director Charlie McDowell (son of Malcolm McDowell and Mary Steenburgen) and writer Justin Lader, the unique and creative approach to such a complex topic make these two people to keep an eye on.

"We had two completely separate experiences with each other that neither of us remembers." Ethan (Duplass) and Sophie (Moss) are married and are having problems. When their therapist recommends a weekend getaway they jump at the chance. The night starts off great with a romantic dinner but then things start to happen to each other without the other one remembering. What starts off as confusion becomes something that no one can or wants to believe. This is a movie that can not be spoiled. The trailer does not give the main idea away and if you have seen it please don't tell anyone else about it. The only way to describe this is that it has a very Twilight Zone feel to it. This is not a typical romantic comedy or even drama. What I will say is that this is one of the most original movies that have come out in a while and I absolutely loved it. This is a movie that must be seen and recommended but not described. Much like the sixth sense it will be ruined if you know the twist. Overall, one of the most original movies to come out in a long time. I loved it and highly recommend this. Just do not tell anyone about the twist. I give this an A.