I GIVE IT A YEAR
UK, 2013, 105 minutes, Colour.
Rose Byrne, Rafe Spall, Simon Baker, Anna Faris, Minnie Driver, Jason Flemyng, Stephen Merchant, Jane Asher.
Directed by Directed by Dan Mazar.
The title comes from a rather dogmatic statement made by the sister of the bride at the wedding receptions. She is a dragon-po-faced Minnie Driver who, inexplicably (or the explanation shown makes little sense) has remained married to her genial but laid-back doctor husband for many years. But, their story is only a sub-plot.
The main story is that of Natalie and Josh, Rose Byrne and Rafe Spall, who have been smitten with each other and, as it turns out, have really fallen in love with love rather than each other. Which means that this portrait of a marriage in decline over a year is a falling out of being in love.
Actually, Minnie Driver might have read it right. She is a determined advertising PR executive who generally knows what she wants and gets it. He, on the other hand, has published a novel and is in process of writing another but has no sense of urgency and is content often to laze about the house, and is a master of bad taste. So, from romantic to irritated, to clashes, to roving eye, to counselor (a very funny Olivia Colman), to a new proposal: to be divorced.
The ‘other’ parties are Anna Faris as former girlfriend, Chloe, and Simon Baker as Guy, the owner of a bleach company who has a contract with Natalie.
The film is really a collection of episodes, some funny, some misfiring. It is the work of Dan Mazar who has been working with Sacha Baron Cohen in all his incarnations, especially Ali G, Borat and Bruno. So that gives us some idea of the blend of hilarity and bad taste – and there is quite a bit of the latter, especially with the character played by Stephen Merchant who says whatever comes into his head without any process, is jaw-droppingly politically incorrect and obliviously so. (Natalie does say that one benefit of the divorce is that she will never have to see him again.)
The cast act well with the courage of their convictions. A clever publicity writer has created the ad tag, ‘The love child of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Bridesmaids’. It is more Four Weddings than Bridesmaids though with a lot of ‘naughty’ humour that revels in and is mightily pleased with its naughtiness.
1. A topical comedy? Cynical, real? Relationships? Love, fidelity? Sexuality?
2. The London locations, affluent world, public relations, the world of writing? Families, charity work, companies? Atmosphere? Offices, factory plant, restaurants, streets? The musical score?
3. Nat’s sister and her wry observation? The title?
4. The introduction to Nat, relationship with Josh, meeting Josh, falling in love, falling in love with love, the marriage ceremony, the minister and his gasping for breath to pronounce that they were husband and wife, the reception, the best man’s speech? The families and their response? Josh and his special dance?
5. Nine months passing, the marriage, on the rocks, their going for counseling, the various sessions, the attitude of each, trying to make the marriage work? The tough counsellor, her presumptions, negative about Josh? More sympathetic to Nat? Her own husband, the arguments and shouting?
6. The story of the marriage, told in flashbacks? The cumulative effect?
7. Josh, his habits, lazy, writer’s block, casual, at the party, drinking, his dates, Guy looking down on him, Nat keeping quiet, his meeting Chloe, their past, love and relationship, talking with her, his regrets? His attempt to do the right thing with the counsel?
8. Nat, her skill and her work, the women at work and their talk? The marriage, its demands? Her being demanding, humorless, meeting Guy, the offhand remarks and his hearing them? Socials, his advances, meals, seeing Josh dancing, and meeting here as her husband after they met in the street? The factory visits, the slogans, advertising? Her response to counseling?
9. Chloe, her personality, American, in love with Josh, the separation, going to Africa, her work, the return, her friendship with Josh, in love with him, the threesome and her awkwardness, Josh and his embarrassment, Guy and the dates, as relationship and her preparing to leave?
10. Guy, American, handsome, rich, the company, his father? The public relations contract? jokes with Nat? His charm, social, amazed at Josh, meeting him in the street, the truth? Pursuing Chloe? The possibility of a relationship? Nat and consent, the sexual relationship? His planning to leave with Chloe?
11. Nat’s sister, Sarah, her comments, the marriage? Giving it a year? Her husband, doctor, She being the boss, talking at him, yet their being together? The charades and their pointedness, the sexual references and embarrassment?
12. Josh, his parents, their style, the reaction to the marriage, the divorce?
13. Nat’s parents, wealthy, a touch aristocratic, the reaction at the dinner about the divorce, the final comments?
14. Talking, delaying? The family at the meal, the questions? The divorce proposal, the acceptance, happy?
15. Pursuing Chloe, hurrying to the Airport? Nat following? Guy and his seeing Nat, the proposal?
16. The best friend, his speeches, vulgarity, saying the wrong thing, and Nat please never to see him again?
17. The humour, the wit, crass, the blend of style?
