TNLF: Possession (74%)

The past will connect them. The passion will possess them.

At once a period piece and a modern day romance, Possession is the least likeliest of films one would expect from filmmaker Neil Labute. There are no characters that are deplorable, there are no uncomfortable situations and there is no dark biting humour on display. Possession is in almost every way the complete opposite of anything Labute has done or would be expected to do. After In the Company of Men, Your Friends and Neighbors and to some extent Nurse Betty, it is almost inconceivable that the same man made this film. It's sweet; it's romantic; it's so very English.

Starring Labute regular Aaron Eckhart and Gwyneth Paltrow as the modern day protagonists and Jeremy Northam and Jennifer Ehle as the ill fated lovers of the past. The story takes place in England and concerns Eckhart who enlists Paltrow to help him discover a long buried secret about poet Randolph Ash, played by Northam. As Northam's story is discovered, Eckhart and Paltrow form a relationship that echoes the story they are following (which is told in flashbacks).

The performances are uniformly well played out, with Eckhart once again playing a part completely different to the parts Labute had previously given him. Here he is an everyday nice guy, unlike the cynical ass, the pathetic shlub or the abusing hic husband that he played so well before and his performance is commendable. But it is Northam and Ehle that outshine the rest of the cast with fantastic performances that hit all the right notes and bring an emotional heft that sometimes is missing in the present day scenes.

The script is very well written, with very few minor generic plot points and mostly excellent dialogue. The cinematography is stunning and captures old and new England perfectly. Using lots of yellows, golds and subdued hues, the images capture the love and romance of the settings perfectly. The sets too are fantastic, looking new in Northam's world and old, antique and rustic in modern day. The score is romantic, compelling and mysterious and propels the viewer forward in the story without seeming overly dramatic.

The transitions between modern day and old England are wonderful and a joy to see. Rather than cutting to the past or fading away to it, Labute uses the sets as a transition. A door closes behind Northam and is reopened by Eckhart. Paltrow stands by a river watching Eckhart swimming and the camera pans over to see Ehle watching Northam swimming. Northam is in a library and the camera tracks over to the entrance of the building and all of a sudden we are in modern times with modern technologies. These transitions are impeccably done and only add to the intrigue of the story.

Even though Possession is well acted, well directed, well staged and well crafted it does tend to slow down at parts and while it is intriguing it feels at times to be dragging along. And almost always this is happening in modern times. Northam and Ehle are so good, and their story so interesting, that they make their England endlessly watchable. But in modern times there is maybe a bit to much reading letters and should we/shouldn't we situations.

Possession is tame, easy going and light Neil Labute. It shows that he is not a one trick pony and a talent to look forward to in the years to come. It is also, without a doubt, a woman's movie. There is nary a man I know who would sit down and watch this film when it wasn't a wife or girlfriend who made them do it. There is no action, very little humour and while there is some mystery it is outshone ten fold by the romance. So with that I highly recommend Possession to all the women out there that love a good 'chick flick' and to all the men out there: Want to make your significant other happy and tear up on the couch next to you? Give you a big hug and think you are a real sweet guy? Then light some candles, cook a nice meal and then snuggle on the couch and put on Possession. Her heart will swoon and you'll be in her good books for weeks.


Film Rating: 74%

Breakdown (How Possession scored 74%):

Production Design: 8 out of 10
Cinematography: 9 out of 10
Re-playability: 6 out of 10
Originality: 7 out of 10
Costumes: 8 out of 10
Directing: 8 out of 10
Editing: 7 out of 10
Acting: 7 out of 10
Music: 7 out of 10
Script: 7 out of 10