It is not a thrilling ride through the streets of New York, or an intergalactic battle of wits; and it is surely not a typical, see-it-once-and-hate-it romantic comedy.
“The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” is much more than that, and will leave audiences as a pool of punched Jell-O in their theatre seat.
In his debut-directing gig, Ned Benson skips the amateur status in “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” which is a compilation of three films: one by “His” perspective, one of “Her” perspective and one of “Them.”
Starring Academy Award nominated Jessica Chastain, and the dashing Golden Globe nominated and BAFTA winning James McAvoy, this film tells the story of Eleanor and Connor, a married couple who go through a devastating crisis that threatens the life of their marriage.
Unable to cope with the heartbreak, Eleanor decides to step away from the relationship, leaving Connor confused and broken.
The film’s depth is cushioned by knockout performances by Bill Hader, William Hurt and Viola Davis.
Cinematographer Christopher Blauvelt will sweep onlookers off their feet with long, wide-angle shots that successfully pull the viewer in. The music by Son Lux, a New York-based commercial composer who also supplied the sounds for “Looper,” gives the movie a dreary, longing pull throughout the story.
“The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” is an honest, raw template of the harsh realities of relationship earthquakes. The film brilliantly conveys how difficult it can be when the people we love suddenly slip out of our lives so easily.
McAvoy and Chastain make a likeable couple on screen, their chemistry never giving a false fog to the audience. We smile with them, cry with them and run with them.
Since the initial release of “Him” and “Her,” at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2013, critical acclaim has flooded “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby,” making it a Golden Globe and Academy Award contender.
More heart-wrenching than “The Notebook” and more candid than “Pride and Prejudice,” “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” is sure to become a classic go-to, Ben-and-Jerry’s movie night pick.