Take This Waltz

Written and directed by Sarah Polley, Take This Waltz details the turmoil that unfolds for Michelle Williams’ Margot after she develops feelings for a new neighbor (Luke Kirby) – with Margot’s continued association with the man inevitably threatening her marriage to Seth Rogen’s affable Lou. There’s little doubt that Take This Waltz gets off to a less-than-promising start, as Polley offers up an opening half hour that is, at times, almost suffocatingly quirky – with the filmmaker’s treatment of Williams’ character certainly ranking high on the movie’s initial list of problems. Margot is, at the film’s outset, an egregiously off-kilter figure who possesses few believable attributes – she is, for example, “afraid of connections” at airports and thus has to be wheeled from one place to the next – which does prevent the viewer from wholeheartedly connecting to her ongoing exploits. (It’s a vibe that’s compounded by Polley’s reliance on dialogue that simply doesn’t sound authentic or real, as the writer/director generally stresses banter of a decidedly theatrical nature.) It’s only as Take This Waltz segues into its deliberately-paced yet comparatively engaging midsection that one is slowly-but-surely drawn into the proceedings, with the easy, palpable chemistry between Williams and Rogen effectively perpetuating (and sustaining) the film’s agreeable atmosphere. The inclusion of several admittedly electrifying moments (eg Kirby’s Daniel describes exactly what he’d do to Margot given the opportunity) proves instrumental at compensating for the movie’s pervasive unevenness, though there does reach a point at which the film’s overlength becomes an almost insurmountable issue – as Polley’s difficulties in wrapping things up results in an anti-climactic, mostly needless final stretch. The unexpectedly moving final shot ensures that Take This Waltz finally does end on a decidedly positive note, which, when coupled with Williams’ consistently captivating performance, cements the film’s place as an erratic yet entertaining sophomore effort from Polley.

**1/2 out of ****