Two Day Magazine

Looking for that perfect date night movie, but hoping for a night in?

The question has to be asked.

Why would a film about a fellow who’s struggled with love and recently lost his father to cancer qualify as a good date movie? Sounds like a real downer, doesn’t it?

Make a push to look past that loose outline for filmmaker Mike Mills’ semi-autobiographical “Beginners” (R, 2011, Universal Pictures).  The easy answer is that “Beginners” is an emotional movie that should be enjoyed with someone special. But it’s so much more than that.

A little back story:  A few years before Mills’ father died, he revealed to his son that he was gay. At 75, he started a new life outside the closet. That reality is the foundation for “Beginners,” with Christopher Plummer as the father and Ewan McGregor in a part that closely resembles Mills.

The film breaks down into two different story lines. The first one details the relationship between Oliver (McGregor), his newly outed father, Hal (Plummer).  Hal has just been diagnosed with cancer. This storyline is told in a series of flashbacks, and the viewer comes to know Hal’s joy through his new experiences as a gay man and his pain through the unforgiving cancer that eventually takes his life.

The second story line is set in the present day. Oliver is depressed, conflicted by his Hal’s relationship with his late mother and fully prepared to live the rest of his life alone. That is, until he meets the beautiful Anna (Melanie Laurent), a French actress who’s entirely interested, but also has some reservations about men. They hit it off splendidly at first, reveling in the fact that they’re kindred spirits. Things go so well, Oliver asks Anna to move in with him. She does, and the relationship suddenly hits a snag. Oliver closes up again and Anna pulls away quickly. All of a sudden, they’re back at Square 1.

It’s only after the break up that Oliver realizes a connection between those last experiences with Hal and his relationship with Anna. In his father’s later years, Oliver was closer to him than he had ever been.  Additionally, Hal had a deeply loving relationship with his new partner (Goran Visnjic). Oliver had not seen this side of Hal when he was with Oliver’s mother, but it was a side that showed Oliver how to love. If his father was able to open up and find happiness later in life, why shouldn’t Oliver?

It’s really a wonderful realization, as Oliver pushes his past relationship failures aside, as well as his depression, and makes a strong charge to get Anna back into his life. It’s a beginning. On a whim, he flies to New York City to get her back, but she’s still in Los Angeles. It’s this step that shows Anna that Oliver wants to become fully invested in their relationship. Essentially, it dashes Anna’s reservations, as well.

Oliver’s conclusion ties up Mills’ motion picture incredibly well. It stresses the theme of beginnings, marking the father’s life as a gay man and Oliver’s relationship with Anna.

Admittedly, “Beginners” isn’t for everyone. It’s quirky and the narrative isn’t what viewers are traditionally used to, relying heavily on flashbacks to tell the story. It’s also an independent romantic comedy that’s without slapstick humor and popular faces like Jennifer Aniston or Adam Sandler. It’s an irresistible film that, like a “(500) Days of Summer” or a “Garden State” — similar films — will depend on word of mouth.

Cosmetically, the picture is also a winner, carrying excellent performances from all three leads. McGregor, who never really seems to get the credit he deserves, continues to churn out great performances as a lead actor. In “Beginners,” he really sells his part as an emotional ball of confusion. Plummer is right there with him, and it’s no wonder he’s garnered a lot of Academy Award buzz for his part. Laurent rounds out a solid cast, offering up something much different than the last time American audiences saw her in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglourious Basterds.” With her tender performance, she’s on course to become the next great import from France behind Juliette Binoche and Marion Cotillard.

So, the end of the review brings us back to that initial question of why is “Beginners” a good date movie, and that seems to be obvious. In between its bursts of comedy and romance, Mills’ film is one that explores relationships, whether they are with parents, significant others, friends and even household pets. Within these relationships, the viewer experiences the emotions that present themselves through Oliver, his father and Anna.

While it’s wise to stop analyzing “Beginners” before calling it a sort of blueprint to examine relationships, it’s certainly a nice start to a cheap manual. A start? Isn’t that where you are with this dating thing? There’s a hope that, if you’re attracted to that person, a relationship will bloom and magic will happen.

Now, you’re just beginners.

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