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XX/XY 2002 |
Review by Jonathan Cornwell |
Directed by Austin Chick
R, 91 min. (sexuality, language, brief drug use) |
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Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Kathleen Robertson, Maya Stange, Petra Wright, Kel O'Neill, Joshua Spafford, Zach Shaffer
Producers: Mitchell B. Robbins, Isen Robbins, Aimee Schoof
Screenplay: Austin Chick
Cinematography: Uta Briesewitz
Distributor: IFC Films
Released: 4.11.03 (Limited) |
Rating:
 (out of ) |
By any measurable standards, XX/XY is a difficult film for many to admire because of its frankness about the more shady
aspects of human nature. This is an honest look at one man's inability to settle for the good woman that he's with because
there's always something more appealing (at least at first glance) lurking around the corner. For director Austin Chick, who
also wrote the screenplay, one has to wonder if he has any first-hand experience with this conundrum because of the
way he brings insight to the characters' feelings, which reveal a depth and personal anguish that emerge when lust overtakes
better judgment and affects more than just the person who does the cheating. XX/XY is unflinching in its desire to portray
individuals that care for one another, even when they hurt each other deeply.
The story has two parts. The first occurs in 1993 at a university where Coles (Mark Ruffalo) is studying film and meets
Sam (Maya Stange) at a party, where he offers his bed to her but finds himself at the verge of a threesome with Sam
and her roommate, Thea (Kathleen Robertson), instead. It is clearly a mistake, yet Coles and Sam become inseparable.
However, because of Coles' inability to settle, he cheats on her and they drift apart. Fast forward ten years, where Coles
runs into Sam, who has just returned from London and broken off her engagement, in Manhattan. He's an advertising
consultant and lives with Claire (Petra Wright), who is anxiously awaiting the next logical step (marriage) after five years
together. But the sparks between Coles and Sam are still palpable, which leads to the inevitable act that Claire witnesses
and says nothing about (at first). It's not long before Coles, Sam, and Claire are reexamining their lives and intentions, and
who they want to be with.
Where XX/XY provides the most meaningful insight is in the mind and actions of Coles' wayward fidelity. The truth
is that Coles doesn't necessarily want to cheat on his partner but simply can't resist the urge to test the waters elsewhere.
He realizes that he does love Sam, even after many years have passed, but doesn't know how to deal with Claire, whom he
also loves, until it's too late. Claire is the real victim in the story because she knows what Coles is and can deal with his
infidelity from time to time, but is crushed when she realizes that Coles "is settling for her." She's a consolation prize for
someone who has no choice but to fall back on the next best thing. And then there's Sam, a woman who also still has
feelings for Coles, but won't allow herself to be hurt again by his unfaithfulness. Does she take the chance or find closure
for her own good?
The performances are stout. Ruffalo finally returns to the form that made him a recognized talent in Hollywood with his
work in You Can Count on Me with a role that accentuates his ability to portray the combination of charm and selfish
irresponsibility. He plays Coles as a man who envisions the perfect love, yet never determines to settle for it once he
has it. Stange also plays her part well, but it's Wright that deserves the most credit for a character that hides pain well
but is mature enough to see the truth, instead of living in denial. Together, these three provide the foundation for Chick
to build authenticity in his characters' lives.
It's understandable if some viewers find a sour taste in their mouths after seeing the film, but I think that's what Chick was
aiming for - a picture that wouldn't pander to clichés and convenient resolutions just because these type of films demand them
to cover for their subject matter. Yet XX/XY remains honest to the end, which is more important than smoothing over the
rough edges that most audiences will find too rocky to appreciate. But these characters do indeed exist, and their presence
is disconcerting because some people may see someone familiar on the screen.
© 2003 Jonathan Cornwell
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 | Masterpiece - Film perfection |
 | Excellent - A Must See |
| Good - Highly Recommended |
| Fair - Worth seeing |
| Average - Viewable, but not recommended |
| Below average - View at own risk |
| Poor - Avoid at all costs |
| Very poor - An embarassment to the film industry |
| Zero | Awful - One of the worst films ever made |
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