Common Sense Media Review
By S. Jhoanna Robledo
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Quietly powerful drama about marriage and memory.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
45 Years
What's the Story?
Days before their 45th wedding anniversary, Geoff (Tom Courtenay) and Kate (Charlotte Rampling) get an unexpected letter containing a bombshell: A body has been found in the Swiss Alps, and it's the corpse of the woman Geoff was dating decades ago, before he met his wife (the woman fell to her death while she and Geoff were hiking together in the mountains). The news is a shock to Geoff, and while he and Kate prepare to celebrate their long and enduring relationship, he's simultaneously forced to remember his former self. And as he starts to recall old habits and fond memories, Kate is forced to reexamine the foundation of their relationship.
Is It Any Good?
If still waters run deep, then 45 YEARS -- a searing and powerful drama -- has fathoms beneath it. A seemingly stable relationship shifts techtonically, but the audience isn't clubbed over the head with this revolution. Instead, like lobsters sitting in increasingly boiling water, we feel the heat slowly, sometimes imperceptibly, but definitely permanently. Kudos to director Andrew Haigh, who allows the camera to capture the small but significant moments that tell the story of doubt creeping into an otherwise solid marriage. But, truly, it's stars Courtenay and Rampling who make the movie the tour de force that it is.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about how 45 Years depicts marriage. Does it seem realistic? How does it compare to the way you've seen marriages portrayed in other movies and TV shows?
Is Kate and Geoff's marriage a good one? What makes a good marriage? How does the film address this question?
What role do drinking and smoking play in the story? Are they necessary to the plot?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 23, 2015
- On DVD or streaming : June 14, 2016
- Cast : Charlotte Rampling , Tom Courtenay
- Director : Andrew Haigh
- Inclusion Information : Gay Movie Director(s)
- Studio : IFC Films
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 113 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : language and brief sexuality
- Last updated : February 15, 2023
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