Take This Waltz

A Joe's Daughter and Mongrel Media presentation in colaboration with TF1 Droits Audiovisuels, using the participation of Telefilm Canada, Ontario Media Development Corp. and Astral's Harold Greenberg Fund, created in colaboration with the film Network, Movie Central, Super Ecran and also the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (Worldwide sales: TF1 Intl., Paris.) Created by Susan Cavan, Sarah Polley. Directed, compiled by Sarah Polley.Margot - Michelle Williams Lou - Seth Rogen Daniel - Luke Kirby Geraldine - Sarah SilvermanGiven how rapidly movie figures often fall under mattress with each other, it's especially rewarding to determine author-director Sarah Polley wring maximum tension, humor and emotional complexity from the youthful wife's crisis of conscience in "Take This Waltz." Despite a couple of tonal and structural problems, this intelligent, intelligent drama proves as thoroughly and gratifyingly femme-focused as Polley's 2006 debut, "From Her." It is also flat-out sexy enough to attract discerning audiences of either gender, a marketably risque point that should not go overlooked among likely popularity of the wonderful performances by Michelle Williams and Seth Rogen. Twenty-eight-year-old Margot (a red-colored-haired Williams) travels in Nova Scotia when she's a strained first encounter having a guy about her age, Daniel (Luke Kirby). The clumsiness continues, even while an unshakable spark ignites, when Margot and Daniel find yourself sitting together on the flight the place to find Toronto and share taxis, simply to realize they are across-the-street neighbors. This coincidence alerts of the incipient preciousness, just like a few of the scenario's quirkier aspects, particularly the characters' jobs: Ambitious artist Daniel pulls a rickshaw, while Margot's husband of 5 years, Lou (Rogen), creates cook books concentrating in chicken quality recipes. (Margot, on her part, does not appear to operate much beyond irregular writing projects.) Margot and Lou's extended bouts of lovey-dovey talk can seem to be cloying, though one feels less inclined to gag if this becomes obvious that Polley is etching one of the most personal and persuasive portraits of the modern marriage in recent movies. Margot's fascination with her large-hearted carry of the husband is apparent, out of the box her mild dissatisfaction using their routine, little which escapes Polley's notice: not only what they exchange but additionally their silences, body gestures, the positions they sleep in, the way Margot hugs Lou while he's attempting to prepare, an invite to foreplay he's slow to choose on. The author-director proves just like mindful to Margot's growing curiosity about Daniel, though their early interactions are extremely quirkily combative, it isn't entirely obvious what they are feeling is attraction. Question on that front is taken away when Daniel informs Margot precisely what he'd like related to her physically, inside a whispery monologue that quavers with eroticism. The film's large seduction is completed entirely through words signifies the subtlety from the register Polley is employed in. Not too "Take This Waltz" shies from bared flesh, getting earlier treated audiences to some residual eyeful inside a women's locker room at Margot's gym. Though prone to attract male audiences for apparent reasons, this extended sequence also captures how comfortable and unself-conscious they feel in their own individual company, in comparison using their more guarded methods for relevant towards the males within their lives. So centered on emotional states and particulars it provides little overall feeling of where it's headed from scene to scene, the film stays a lot of its nearly two-hour running time agonizing over what Margot will or will not do. This is an engrossing if slow-building quandary, in addition to a principled acknowledgment that particular lure are simpler entertained than behaved upon. After Williams' effective undertake marital discontent in last year's "Blue Valentine," it'll surprise nobody the actress again appears not capable of striking an incorrect note inside a performance that exposes layers of uneasyness, uncertainty and sexual curiosity. The thought here's Rogen, who reins in the boisterous persona although not his comedy instincts inside a wonderfully affectionate, possibly career-best turn. Like a potential home-wrecker, Kirby does not have sympathy on his side, playing Daniel having a hint of sleaze that plainly excites Margot even when the viewer's mileage can vary. Supporting-cast standout is Sarah Silverman, feisty and authentic as Lou's recuperating-alcoholic sister she figures heavily right into a climactic scene that throws the image temporarily off balance, although it springs from Polley's understandable need to extend emotional closure to her figures. Pic was shot throughout a sweltering Toronto summer time, and also the warmth comes through with the sexually billed atmosphere but the warm-colored inside of Matthew Davies' production design. Assisted by d.p. Luc Montpellier, Polley shows an remarkably ripening visual sense, from the monitoring shot that frequently circles her figures towards the recurring close-ups of the ft because they walk, as though to underscore the thought of different pathways through existence. Most memorable selection on the soundtrack boasting lots of Canadian talent may be the Buggles' "Video Wiped out radio stations Star," used here to poetic effect.Camera (color), Luc Montpellier editor, Christopher Donaldson music, Jonathan Goldsmith music supervisor, Jody Colero production designer, Matthew Davies art director, Aleks Marinkovich set decorator, Steve Shewchuk costume designer, Jum Carlson seem (Dolby Digital), John Thomson supervisory seem editor, Jane Tattersall supervisory re-recording mixer, Lou Solakofski re-recording mixer, effects coordinator, Laird McMurray visual effects supervisor, Robert Crowther visual effects, Brain Surgery VFX stunt coordinator, Alison Reid line producer, D.J. Carson connect producer, David Sandomierski assistant director, Daniel J. Murphy casting, John Buchan, Jason Dark night. Examined at Toronto Film Festival (Gala Presentations), Sept. 11, 2011. Running time: 116 MIN. Contact Justin Chang at justin.chang@variety.com