The One I Love

Premiering at Sundance, you’d be hard pressed to find fault in the directing ability of Charlie McDowell, or believe ‘The One I Love’ is actually the first feature film he’s directed. He’s good - as is the screenwriter, Justin Lader, who’s penned a shrewd, sophisticated, emotionally honest story, exploring living in long-term relationships.

To fully appreciate ‘The One I Love’ it’s worth not poring over too many reviews beforehand, just in case they reveal the twist that’s the key ingredient to the plot – but don’t worry, you’re safe with me, I’ve no intention of spoiling the surprise for you. I promise to be vague, yet informative as possible, because I want you to hopefully enjoy the experience as much as I did. However, once you’ve watched the film you’ll understand it’s going to take some very savvy marketing to avoid giving the game away during its theatrical release.

The film opens with a married couple, Ethan (Mark Duplass) and Sophie (Elisabeth Moss), on the fast-track to separation. Failing miserably in couple’s therapy, they seem unable to recapture the original spark they once had. In a last ditch attempt to salvage their marriage, their therapist (Ted Danson) recommends they go and stay in a particular idyllic retreat to ‘reset the reset button’ - swearing that even the most struggling of couples were able to rekindle their romance after a trip there. Deciding that a break away from the world could be ideal for both of them - off they go - only to discover an increasingly surreal, and slightly sinister, dilemma awaits them. Verging on sci-fi/fantasy, this high concept two-hander rom-com, carried brilliantly by Moss and Duplass, spins everything you thought about being in a relationship on its head, gnawing into your brain long after you’ve left the cinema.

What McDowell and his team have achieved on a low-budget is impressive – from a technical perspective they’ve employed an incredible amount of ingenuity. Every element is smooth and subtle, from the precise editing and gently eerie music score, to the clever special effects and dreamlike cinematography, altogether creating a beautiful end result that normally belies a more costly production.

‘The One I Love’ takes the romantic genre into an unusual, uncharted territory, which all in all, is a welcome breath of fresh air.