Truly, Madly, Deeply
"After you died I found stuff in my trunk I'd put there because you disapproved"
A lot of things get unpacked over the course of the film by Nina's character. The film is a thoughtful and patient and poignant look at its subject. At times the film tries to spin a few too many plates with the goal of injecting some levity into the story. I wasn't ever charmed by it's whimsy, but it didn't put me off either.
This is a unique and unexpected film. Less lighthearted than the cover art had me expecting. There's a quality to Juliet Stevenson's performance that makes it hard to decide if she's a super high level professional actor or a really earnest amateur. She's raw, unconventional, unpolished. It's a asset to the film, as it makes her character interesting to observe. She's somewhat unpredictable in how she reacts to things. Her organic performance kept me watching.
It's a film that really does a good job with serveral key scenes, including the ending, which I thought was terrific and probably Rickman's best moment.
This was a really fresh experience, thanks Sandy!