THE FACE OF LOVE

US, 2014, 92 minutes, Colour.
Annette Bening, Ed Harris, Robin Williams, Jess Weixler, Amy Brenneman.
Directed by Arie Posin.

The movie marketers tell us that the main audience for films is the 18 to 25 group and that most films are geared to this niche. This may be true Hollywood but is not true of many of the international industries. And it is definitely not true for this film. This is cinema for seniors, especially the over 60s (the age of the three principal actors in this film).

All during this film, audiences might be wondering why it has this generic title. Whose face? What kind of love? But, wondering in patience, will discover that it has quite a specific meaning and throws light on the later part of the film.

The film begins with grief, Nicky (Annette Bening) mourning the death of her husband who had gone swimming and, as she walks on the beach, finding his body. She loved her husband intensely and cannot come to grips with his death. It is clear that she has no closure in her grief.

5 years pass. Nicky seems to have recovered, has a good relationship with her daughter, Summer, who goes to study in Seattle. She also has a good relationship with Roger (Robin Williams), a good friend of her late husband and a neighbour. They talk together, have meals together but Nicky does not realise the crush that Roger has on her. He is a quiet personality and does not reveal his love until later.

The important part of the film occurs when Nicky goes into a museum which she used to visit with her husband but has neglected in the last five years. Suddenly she sees a man who resembles her husband, follows him, googles him to find that he is an artist and an art teacher. She intrudes into his class, but discusses with him the possibility of some personal tuition. He agrees.

The audience notices the resemblance immediately. And the artist, Tom, is played by Ed Harris who played the part of the husband briefly at the beginning of the film. He falls in love with Nicky and thinks he has found the right woman in his life. He still keeps contact with his former wife (Amy Brenneman) who is supportive him of him, especially because of his weak heart and her concern about his health.

With the similarities of face in the two men, we realise that this could be the meaning of the title. Nicky and Tom relate well together, begin a relationship, he very happy, she seemingly happy but slipping (intensely) sometimes into memories of her husband. This all comes to a head because she has not revealed all this to Tom and her daughter, suddenly visiting, becomes semi-hysterical as she sees Tom and realises what her mother is doing. Roger is also uneasy about what Kicky is doing.

Nicky wants an idyllic visit to Mexico, to relive the experiences with her husband, failing to realise the impact for Tom – while the audience is wishing her to tell him the truth.

While this is a romantic story, it does not quite end as we might have liked or expected and the culmination of the film is at an exhibition of Tom’s paintings, a number of which portrayed Nicky, one of them called The Face of Love.

1. The title, generic? The specific explanation at the end with the painting?

2. A film for senior audiences? Men and women? Backgrounds of marriage, death, widowhood? Grief?

3. The glossy style of the film, the affluent world, the Mexican resort, the designer home? Los Angeles, the streets, houses, College? Art classes? The art world? The markets? The musical score?

4. Romantic film, for older audiences? Credibility? The situation and the consequences?

5. The opening, Nikki and her grief, her memories? Mexico at the resort, with Garrett, love, his being high, swimming? Her walking on the beach, the surf, discovering her husband’s body? Alone, no closure to her experience?

6. The passing of five years, Nikki and her life, ordinary, her business, working on houses to make them habitable? Her relationship with Summer, Summer going to Seattle to study, her concern about her relationship with Josh? Nikki and Roger, Roger as a friend of her husband, neighbour, his coming to swim, eating, talking? His crush on her?

7. Summer and her bond with her mother, the situation with Josh in Seattle, her ringing when the relationship failed? Commenting about her mother not going to the Museum?

8. Nikki deciding to visit the museum, her seeing Tom, following him? Looking him up on Google, finding that he was an art teacher, his background in Indiana? Going to the College, going to his class, intruding? Meeting him outside? The discussion about a course, his coming to the house, teaching her? The tuition of the costs? His coming the house, the lesson, the bond between the two?

9. Ed Harris and his playing the two roles? Nikki and Tom’s face, like her husband’s? Expressing her love for her husband, calling Tom ‘Garrett’? The lessons, the invitation to the date, the kiss and her hesitation, going home? Talking with Tom, the beginning of the affair, the nature of the relationship, his love for her, the effect on him? The effect on Nikki? At the market with Tom and not wanting Roger to see him?

10. Tom, going to his wife, the background story, the separation, the house, recovering his painting gear? The story about his health? The phone call to his wife, sitting outside in the car, her concern?

11. His taking up painting again, coming to life?

12. Summer, the phone call, her mother in bed with Tom, Summer alarmed? Driving home, the surprise? Tom in the house? Reaction, becoming hysterical and ousting Tom?

13. Roger, his seeing what happened? His reaction?

14. Nikki and her idea that they should go to Mexico, the impulse, Tom coming to take her? Her reminiscing, about her husband, the water, the room, his death? The meal, Tom going to get drinks, seeing the photo? Confronting Nikki? Her denial?

15. Nikki going to the down to the sea, into the water, Tom rescuing her? Continuing the sexual encounters, Nikki’s confusion about Tom and her husband?

16. The year passing, Roger and Summer in the house, talking, Nikki and her ordinary life? Tom gone?

17. Invitation to the exhibition, Nikki meeting Annie, talking, the range of pictures, The Face of Love, Nikki seeing herself, the exhilaration? The sadness of
hearing of Tom’s death?

18. The sadness for Tom at the end of his life yet his sublimating it in the pictures? Closure for Nikki?