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Blue Valentine

  • 2010
  • R
  • 1h 52m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
220K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
1,226
67
Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams in Blue Valentine (2010)
A look at the idyllic past and troubled present of working-class couple Dean (Ryan Gosling) and Cindy (Michelle Williams).
Play trailer1:52
2 Videos
99+ Photos
Dark RomancePsychological DramaTragic RomanceDramaRomance

The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.The relationship of a contemporary married couple, charting their evolution over a span of years by cross-cutting between time periods.

  • Director
    • Derek Cianfrance
  • Writers
    • Derek Cianfrance
    • Joey Curtis
    • Cami Delavigne
  • Stars
    • Ryan Gosling
    • Michelle Williams
    • John Doman
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.3/10
    220K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    1,226
    67
    • Director
      • Derek Cianfrance
    • Writers
      • Derek Cianfrance
      • Joey Curtis
      • Cami Delavigne
    • Stars
      • Ryan Gosling
      • Michelle Williams
      • John Doman
    • 438User reviews
    • 362Critic reviews
    • 81Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 9 wins & 56 nominations total

    Videos2

    Blue Valentine
    Trailer 1:52
    Blue Valentine
    Clip
    Clip 1:39
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 1:39
    Clip

    Photos362

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    Top cast34

    Edit
    Ryan Gosling
    Ryan Gosling
    • Dean
    Michelle Williams
    Michelle Williams
    • Cindy
    John Doman
    John Doman
    • Jerry
    Faith Wladyka
    Faith Wladyka
    • Frankie
    Mike Vogel
    Mike Vogel
    • Bobby
    Marshall Johnson
    • Marshall
    Jen Jones
    • Gramma
    Maryann Plunkett
    Maryann Plunkett
    • Glenda
    James Benatti
    • Jamie
    Barbara Troy
    • Jo
    Carey Westbrook
    • Charley
    Ben Shenkman
    Ben Shenkman
    • Dr. Feinberg
    Eileen Rosen
    Eileen Rosen
    • Mimi
    Enid Graham
    Enid Graham
    • Professor
    Ashley Gurnari
    • Checker
    Jack Parshutich
    • Billy
    Samii Ryan
    • Amanda
    Mark Benginia
    • Concierge
    • Director
      • Derek Cianfrance
    • Writers
      • Derek Cianfrance
      • Joey Curtis
      • Cami Delavigne
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews438

    7.3219.5K
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    Featured reviews

    emailjuliehere

    No More "Happily Ever After"

    With the growing number of divorce in America, the "happily ever after" shown in Hollywood films are now far-fetched dreams and no longer a reality. Blue Valentine chooses instead to give its viewers a story of unrestrained truth. This film gives us a raw and painful account of a married couple that was once deep in romance and drama but over time had grown apart. Reality stripped them of the passion they once felt toward one another. The film jumps back and forth between the story of how they met and the current turmoil they are in now. Director Derek Cianfrance does an exceptional job of bringing to the screen the gritty and messiness of a failed marriage. Cianfrance definitely understands the searing pain of a couple that has to call it quits not due to abuse or infidelity but simply because they cannot return to the love they once had. Blue Valentine makes the viewer uncomfortable because it is strikingly identifiable. Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams were amazing together; they successfully capture in every scene the multiple layers and the complexity of a relationship. They feed off of one another on screen and their chemistry is authentic, so much so, that it is often times difficult to swallow. The director's choice to have the two actors live together off screen paid off on camera. Blue Valentine is profound, intense and real. It is definitely a "must-see".
    hyprsleepy

    A story for the wounded

    Blue Valentine is one of the most depressing and well done films I've ever seen.

    It is one that I will recommend that everyone see. Not because I want them to be sad or because I think they could learn anything new but because I think everyone should want to see the best of everything and this film is the best of its genre that I have ever seen. The acting is perfect. The metaphors are delicious and the hidden signs are just waiting to be uncovered.

    Another great thing about this movie is that it is interesting to get different perspectives from your friends as to what they think happened in the movie and to whose side they are on. It is unlikely that they will have trouble connecting to or relating to the characters in Blue Valentine no matter if they have ever been married or had kids before.

    Don't expect this to be a date movie or a nice happy rom-com. It is pretty much the anti-thesis of a date movie.
    7Keemer44

    Emotionally exhausting.

    Let me start this off by saying that this movie is not for everyone and I did not particularly enjoy myself while watching it.

    It's a very well made film with beautiful shots and amazing acting. The story and themes are well fleshed out and provide for some uncomfortable scenes throughout the movie. From a film-making standpoint, this movie is great.

    Despite its technical aspects that I loved, I simply did not enjoy this film all that much. There were too many uncomfortable scenes that included sex, domestic violence, and other intense events. While well made, this film seems like a one time watch. I cannot imagine putting myself through such a depressing movie again.
    8charles000

    Surprisingly well done. I was a bit skeptical at first . . .

    Surprisingly well done. I was a bit skeptical at first, but as I traveled my way through this story, it made more sense than many other attempts to capture this concept and present it well. Michelle Williams really shines here, it may be her best role yet, at least that I'm aware of.

    The key point here is that is an anatomy of a marriage that has dissolved over time, becoming increasingly irrelevant to the wife, and evermore difficult for the husband to comprehend or connect with what's going on with his wife.

    I've seen this before, in real life. Sometimes, marriages just come apart over time, even if they started out with the best of intentions and all the chemistry that can be imagined. It just happens . . . people change over time, and often, not in sync with each other. There's no real "bad guy" in the scenario portrayed . . . just the realities of how people drift apart, to the point of no return. Trust me on this one, this does happen.

    This film may not be for everyone, but for those who can relate with this type of story, this is probably one of the best attempts yet which delivers a reasonably realistic depiction of what this can be like.
    8TheLittleSongbird

    Powerful and heartbreaking

    Blue Valentine is not an easy film to watch and it drags at times. That said, it is very powerful and heart-breaking. Two things especially make it so. One is the script, which is full of genuine emotional credibility and never falls into the trap of being too clever. The other is the story, with the time-skipping structure proving interesting and the story itself is so well-observed. Blue Valentine is shot beautifully yet with a lot of grit, and the soundtrack is amazing, for one it is one of 2010's best soundtracks. The film is also sharply directed, and the film instead of straightforwardly tracing the rise and fall of their relationship actually contrasts the young couple's hopeful beginnings with their subsequent grinding domestic discord. Some mayn't like this approach, I found it incredibly interesting and thought it worked wonders, considering how much effort was made into making this approach credible. The performances from Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams are simply wonderful, their characters are not the most sympathetic characters in the world, nor I don't think were they intended to be, but the performances themselves and the chemistry I couldn't fault. Overall, a very powerful and moving film. 8/10 Bethany Cox

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The scenes in the "past" when Dean and Cindy are falling in love were shot first, in three weeks. After this, Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams spent a month together in a rented house to age themselves in preparation for the "present" scenes. They spent a lot of their time grocery shopping, cooking dinner and learning to pick fights with each other.
    • Goofs
      After the argument at Cindy's workplace, Dean's necklace is visibly broken with the chain hanging down the front of his shirt. In the next shot, the necklace is intact again.
    • Quotes

      Dean: I feel like men are more romantic than women. When we get married, we marry, like, one girl, 'cause we're resistant the whole way until we meet one girl and we think, "I'd be an idiot if I didn't marry this girl. She's so great." But it seems like girls get to a place where they just kinda pick the best option or something. I know girls that get married. They're like, "Oh, he's got a good job." I mean they spend their whole life looking for Prince Charming and then they marry the guy who's got a good job and is gonna stick around.

    • Crazy credits
      The initial credits, showing major cast and crew, play over a montage of stills from the film and clips of fireworks.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Summer Special 2010/11 (2010)
    • Soundtracks
      Unicorn Tears
      Written and Performed by Ryan Gosling

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    FAQ21

    • How long is Blue Valentine?Powered by Alexa
    • What is the Origin of the Title of the Movie?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • January 28, 2011 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Official sites
      • Official site
      • Official site (Australia)
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Triste San Valentín
    • Filming locations
      • Carbondale, Pennsylvania, USA
    • Production companies
      • Incentive Filmed Entertainment
      • Silverwood Films
      • Hunting Lane Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $9,706,328
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $193,728
      • Jan 2, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $15,440,333
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 52 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.66 : 1

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