And While We Were Here (2012)

Very very predictable, including the post credit scene !!!

not horrible nor great

From my favorite movies..

This is a small, humorous movie in some ways, but it has a huge heart. What a nice experience.

When you read the plot summary, the movie seems promising however it's mostly a disappointment. Generally the acting is bad, the story doesn't flow and overall it feels like a sloppy movie. The most disturbing thing is that the story is not being told objectively and it gave me an impression that the movie is based on the writer/director's real life (maybe herself, maybe her best friend, maybe her mother went through a relationship like this...) and that by this movie she tries to prove how bad of a man the (ex) husband was while he is actually a reponsible man with common sense. I'm not saying every story must be told objectively; but feeling that the writer/director keeps trying to manipulate you throughout the whole movie is not a good experience.

Troubled couple arrive in Naples and settle in. He to play viola for concerts, she to work on WWII novel / memoir. Gorgeous settings of isle of Ischia, offset by serious, depressing tone of a husband and wife who can no longer communicate with each other. She meets a 19 year old, still very boyish, reckless and full of youthful energy. He comes off as initially annoying, and I cannot say he grew on me, but I did get accustomed to him. The plot meanders around as the young wife (Kate Bosworth - quite good here) broods much of the time. Much of her story is internal, thinking and rethinking, about her situation and possibilities. All the time, she is listening to recordings of her grandmother, recalling her own youth. "Chick flick" might resonate more with female viewers.

When I first read the brief yet non-revealing plot of this movie, I thought it would be very interesting. So, I watched it, and this movie was the type of movie you think about for days after; it just has that hold on you.Jane, portrayed beautifully by Kate Botsworth, and her husband, Leonard, travel to Italy for Leonard's job. It is revealed that their marriage is anything but lively, and is failing. Whilst Leonard is at work, Jane walks around the city, and meets the adorable Jamie Blackley who captivates the audience as wanderer Caleb. Jane and Caleb share a magical night, and the hold they have on you while the movie is playing is incredible. When you watch, it's like you're there with them at the beach, or at the small café.Jane doesn't come home one night, and Caleb and her affair continues. Her husband is incredibly upset, and it is revealed they only got married due to the baby Jane conceived and later lost to miscarriage. Jane reveals she'll leave her husband (Thank the LORD), and wants to go to Tibet with Caleb. However, Leonard gives her the choice to meet him at the train station when their train is set to leave. Jane goes to the station, without Caleb, and is on the other side of the platform. The train goes by, and she disappears.This movie was everything and more. A drama with romance, and just super raw. The setting in Italy is incredibly gorgeous to look at, and it just helps mix everything together into this beautiful, whirlwind story of a romance that just can't be. Beautifully portrayed and done, "And While We Were Here" will be captivating for years to come.

I was tempted to give this a 10, because it does what it does very well, and ... I loved it. I'm giving it a 9, mainly because it's not just about me, and (judging from the other reviews it's gotten) it takes a certain kind of person--and definitely a certain mood--to appreciate what this movie has to offer. On a different night, I wouldn't have had the patience to sit through it, and that's partly because I can't slow myself down often enough, but it's also partly because the movie doesn't do quite as much as it could to draw the viewer in. You need to be in a relaxed, introspective state of mind, I think, but if/when you are, you might find this as rewarding as I did.I don't want to say a whole lot about the plot, the characters, or the issues that they try to deal with. Part of what I like most about this movie is the way it reveals these things, so I think it's best to not know many details going in. But I will say that there seem to be some important lessons about life and relationships that could be taken away from this, and the messages come across in a natural, unforced way. This is pretty rare. Reviewers have pointed out that Bosworth does a fine job here, and I completely agree, but the rest of the cast also deserves plenty of praise. Most of what's going on in this movie is pretty subtle, and lesser actors/actresses would have tried to overdo things--and a lesser director would've let them. Even minor missteps in acting or directing can be quite a turn-off for me, but I don't recall any such thing in this case. The locations and camera work didn't hurt either. I was immersed from start to finish.I also loved the dialogue. Here, too, what I appreciated was that it wasn't overdone, nor was it too subtle. The people on screen talked pretty much like you'd expect them to. (I never found myself thinking, "That character would never put things that way.") Nothing seemed artificial. So, I guess I could sum things up by saying this is a patient, enjoyable, and flawlessly executed study of certain issues many of us are going to run up against at some point in our lives. I honestly think that many reviewers just don't get it.