Stuck in Love (2013), directed and written by Josh Boone, has been on my radar for months; knowing little about it, I thought it would be an easy watch rom-com. But, I was definitely pleasantly surprised. It had romance, yes, but more drama than comedy. The independent American film boasts an ensemble cast including the likes of Greg Kinnear, Jennifer Connelly, and Lily Collins. The film deals subtly with themes of love, loss, heartbreak, obsession, and fear. Although not highly commended by critics, I for one thought it was wonderful, absorbing and, at times, quite witty.
Avoiding giving too much away, the film follows the Borgen family over the course of a turbulent year. Dealing with a family break-up, the three main characters offer a strong and moving representation of the different manifestations of fear – more specifically, the fears we have in relation to love and relationships – that so many of us feel, and explores where these fears can stem from. The characters’ contrasting reactions and personalities are pretty relatable to the average viewer; we have all at one time or another found ourselves struggling to move on, fearing commitment, or dealing with the consequences of searching for love.
Bill Bogens (Greg Kinnear), an established writer, hasn't written a thing since his ex-wife (Jennifer Connelly) left him. Bill refuses to move on; he still sets a place at the table for her, spends his time pining for her, and has resorted to skulking around outside her new home and peering through her windows. Bill clings to the past – often bordering on obsession – and is consequently missing out on the present. At times, he does try to move forward with the encouragement of his family and friends, but essentially, he still finds himself lusting after the past.
Having seen what love has done to her parents – her father, in particular – commitment-phobic daughter Samantha Borgen (Lilly Collins) spends her life avoiding and tirelessly fearing love. She blames and despises her mother for their family’s breakup. Samantha represents the cynic amongst us; she avoids love and relationships, thinking it will make her stronger, but doesn't consider that she might be missing out on essential human experiences and emotions. After numerous meaningless hook-ups, she meets Lou (Logan Lerman) who eventually wins her over, bringing out a much more positive and open aspect to her character. Of course, Lou has his own share of heartache; caring for his terminally ill mother. He keeps this quiet, attempting to cope with his fear of loss by internalising his feelings and putting on a brave face, as so many of us do.
Inexperienced, hopeless romantic Rusty Borgen (Nat Wolfe) is out searching for love and new experiences. He falls for troubled classmate Kate (Liana Libarato), who is battling a substance problem, and he inevitably ends up heartbroken. This fearless nature is commendable; rather than hiding away like Samantha, he opens himself up to love and, as a consequence, to heartbreak. In doing so, he truly experiences all the highs and lows that love has to offer.
Although the film has been criticised for its "Hollywood happy ending", I beg to differ; the film ends hopefully but not perfectly. I think where the film really excels is that despite being full of drama and complex themes, it feels quite organic and not overly dramatised. Each characters story unravels subtly, intertwining and contrasting the different emotions in a sophisticated way. Boone has created a delicate balance as each character accepts and overcomes their fears and moves towards the future.
On a side note, it is important to briefly mention the fantastic, understated and raw soundtrack that really compliments the story. I would definitely recommend checking it out!
Avoiding giving too much away, the film follows the Borgen family over the course of a turbulent year. Dealing with a family break-up, the three main characters offer a strong and moving representation of the different manifestations of fear – more specifically, the fears we have in relation to love and relationships – that so many of us feel, and explores where these fears can stem from. The characters’ contrasting reactions and personalities are pretty relatable to the average viewer; we have all at one time or another found ourselves struggling to move on, fearing commitment, or dealing with the consequences of searching for love.
Bill Bogens (Greg Kinnear), an established writer, hasn't written a thing since his ex-wife (Jennifer Connelly) left him. Bill refuses to move on; he still sets a place at the table for her, spends his time pining for her, and has resorted to skulking around outside her new home and peering through her windows. Bill clings to the past – often bordering on obsession – and is consequently missing out on the present. At times, he does try to move forward with the encouragement of his family and friends, but essentially, he still finds himself lusting after the past.
Having seen what love has done to her parents – her father, in particular – commitment-phobic daughter Samantha Borgen (Lilly Collins) spends her life avoiding and tirelessly fearing love. She blames and despises her mother for their family’s breakup. Samantha represents the cynic amongst us; she avoids love and relationships, thinking it will make her stronger, but doesn't consider that she might be missing out on essential human experiences and emotions. After numerous meaningless hook-ups, she meets Lou (Logan Lerman) who eventually wins her over, bringing out a much more positive and open aspect to her character. Of course, Lou has his own share of heartache; caring for his terminally ill mother. He keeps this quiet, attempting to cope with his fear of loss by internalising his feelings and putting on a brave face, as so many of us do.
Inexperienced, hopeless romantic Rusty Borgen (Nat Wolfe) is out searching for love and new experiences. He falls for troubled classmate Kate (Liana Libarato), who is battling a substance problem, and he inevitably ends up heartbroken. This fearless nature is commendable; rather than hiding away like Samantha, he opens himself up to love and, as a consequence, to heartbreak. In doing so, he truly experiences all the highs and lows that love has to offer.
Although the film has been criticised for its "Hollywood happy ending", I beg to differ; the film ends hopefully but not perfectly. I think where the film really excels is that despite being full of drama and complex themes, it feels quite organic and not overly dramatised. Each characters story unravels subtly, intertwining and contrasting the different emotions in a sophisticated way. Boone has created a delicate balance as each character accepts and overcomes their fears and moves towards the future.
On a side note, it is important to briefly mention the fantastic, understated and raw soundtrack that really compliments the story. I would definitely recommend checking it out!
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