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Directed by | |||
| Derek Cianfrance | |||
Writing credits | ||
| Derek Cianfrance | (written by) & | |
| Joey Curtis | (written by) and | |
| Cami Delavigne | (written by) | |
Produced by | |||
| Doug Dey | .... | executive producer | |
| Cassian Elwes | .... | co-executive producer | |
| Carrie Fix | .... | co-producer | |
| Ryan Gosling | .... | executive producer | |
| Lynette Howell | .... | producer | |
| Jack Lechner | .... | executive producer | |
| Alex Orlovsky | .... | producer | |
| Scott Osman | .... | executive producer | |
| Jamie Patricof | .... | producer | |
| Rena Ronson | .... | co-executive producer | |
| Michelle Williams | .... | executive producer | |
Original Music by | |||
| Grizzly Bear | |||
Cinematography by | |||
| Andrij Parekh | |||
Film Editing by | |||
| Jim Helton | |||
| Ron Patane | |||
Casting by | |||
| Cindy Tolan | |||
Production Design by | |||
| Inbal Weinberg | |||
Set Decoration by | |||
| Jasmine E. Ballou | (as Jasmine Ballou) | ||
Costume Design by | |||
| Erin Benach | |||
Makeup Department | |||
| Bobby Diehl | .... | hair department head | |
| Michael Marino | .... | prosthetic makeup designer (as Mike Marino) | |
| Leo Won | .... | makeup department head | |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director | |||
| Mariela Comitini | .... | first assistant director | |
| Adam Escott | .... | first assistant director | |
| Brad Robinson | .... | second assistant director | |
Art Department | |||
| Jamie Arbuckle | .... | on-set dresser | |
| Erik Boring | .... | leadman | |
| Eddie DeCurtis | .... | set dresser | |
| Robin Garland | .... | art department assistant | |
| Jesse Getchell | .... | art department assistant | |
| Millree Hughes | .... | scenic painter | |
| Jeffrey Jones | .... | set dresser | |
| Rachel Jones | .... | art department coordinator | |
| Greg Kochan | .... | set dresser (as Gregory Kochan) | |
| Norm Marshall | .... | artwork provided by | |
| Richard Peete | .... | assistant property master | |
| Chris Potter | .... | additional art director | |
| Bridget Rafferty | .... | assistant art coordinator | |
| Max Sherwood | .... | property master | |
| Thomas M. Southern | .... | scenic painter | |
| Michael Crenshaw | .... | propmaker (uncredited) | |
Sound Department | |||
| Evan Benjamin | .... | supervising dialogue editor | |
| Travis Call | .... | audio post supervisor | |
| Vince Camuto Sr. | .... | boom operator: "Past" (as Vince Reed Camuto) | |
| Damian Canelos | .... | sound mixer (as Damian Elias Canelos) | |
| Patrick Christensen | .... | adr mixer (as Pat Christensen) | |
| Dan Flosdorf | .... | sound designer | |
| Steve Giammaria | .... | sound recordist (as Steve 'Major' Giammaria) | |
| Sebastian Henshaw | .... | foley artist | |
| Cory Melious | .... | supervising sound re-recording mixer | |
| Seth Tallman | .... | boom operator: "Present" | |
| Tony Volante | .... | sound re-recording mixer | |
| Eric Walendzinski | .... | sound utility: "Present" | |
| Corey J. Grasso | .... | adr mixer (uncredited) | |
| Ryan M. Price | .... | assistant re-recording mixer (uncredited) | |
Special Effects by | |||
| Jon Dowdy | .... | third special effects (as Jan Dowdy) | |
| Stephanie Finochio | .... | special effects best boy | |
| Drew Jiritano | .... | special effects coordinator | |
Visual Effects by | |||
| Jessica Elvin | .... | smoke artist (as Jessica Allen Elvin) | |
| Jay Tilin | .... | smoke artist | |
| Kevin Vale | .... | digital imaging (uncredited) | |
Stunts | |||
| Blaise Corrigan | .... | stunt coordinator | |
| Manny Siverio | .... | stunt coordinator | |
Camera and Electrical Department | |||
| Ian Bloom | .... | digital imaging technician | |
| David Briggs | .... | grip | |
| Oliver Cary | .... | camera operator | |
| Maureen Cassidy | .... | original set dressing photographer | |
| Radium Cheung | .... | gaffer: "Past" | |
| James Daly | .... | camera loader | |
| James Daly | .... | second assistant camera | |
| John Gabrielle | .... | grip (as John Gabriele) | |
| Spencer Gillis | .... | first assistant "b" camera | |
| Spencer Gillis | .... | second assistant camera | |
| Marty Hechinger | .... | best boy electric | |
| Alonso Homs | .... | additional digital imaging technician | |
| Andrea Killam | .... | original set dressing photographer | |
| Nina Kuhn | .... | gaffer: "Present" | |
| Kate Larose | .... | additional first assistant "b" camera | |
| Ludovic Littee | .... | first assistant "a" camera | |
| Mike 'Electric' Mervilde Jr. | .... | grip (as Mile Mervilde) | |
| Davi Russo | .... | still photographer | |
| Anneke Schoneveld | .... | original set dressing photographer | |
| John Valkos | .... | digital imaging technician assistant | |
| Smokey Nelson | .... | rigging gaffer (uncredited) | |
Casting Department | |||
| Adam Caldwell | .... | casting associate | |
| Diane Heery | .... | extras casting: Heery Casting | |
| Richard Hicks | .... | casting consultant: Los Angeles | |
| David Rubin | .... | casting consultant: Los Angeles | |
| Joey Cee | .... | casting assistant (uncredited) | |
| Regina Haigh | .... | casting (uncredited) | |
| Colleen Kay | .... | casting associate (uncredited) | |
| Jason Loftus | .... | casting (uncredited) | |
Costume and Wardrobe Department | |||
| Stephani Lewis | .... | assistant costume designer | |
| Rachael Ohman | .... | key set costumer (as Rachel Ohman) | |
| Sandra Riedel | .... | wardrobe assistant | |
| Shelby Saboy | .... | wardrobe supervisor | |
| Meghan Monaco | .... | costume assistant (uncredited) | |
Editorial Department | |||
| Dana Bloder | .... | digital intermediate producer | |
| Sam Daley | .... | dailies colorist: Technicolor New York | |
| Kristyn DiPane | .... | dailies project manager: Technicolor New York (as Kristyn Di Pane) | |
| Barbara Jean Kearney | .... | digital intermediate executive producer | |
| William Lehman | .... | assistant editor | |
| Andrew Still | .... | digital intermediate data manager | |
| Tim Stipan | .... | digital intermediate colorist | |
| Joe Violante | .... | dailies advisor: Technicolor New York | |
| Michael P. Whipple | .... | digital intermediate engineer | |
| Victoria Anderson | .... | colorist assistant (uncredited) | |
| Jeffrey Leiser | .... | colorist assistant (uncredited) | |
| Richie Roefaro | .... | editing assistant (uncredited) | |
| Aidan Stanford | .... | color timer (uncredited) | |
Music Department | |||
| Robert Bluemke | .... | composer: background music | |
| Linus Huey | .... | composer: background music | |
| Joe Rudge | .... | music supervisor | |
| Matt Sweeney | .... | composer: additional music | |
Transportation Department | |||
| Richie Clarkson | .... | driver: Scranton | |
| Thomas Crehan | .... | driver: New York | |
| George Holtzer | .... | transportation captain: New York | |
| Patrick J. Kelly | .... | driver: King of Prussa | |
| Victor Meich Jr. | .... | driver: New York (as Vic Meich) | |
| William Metzger | .... | driver: Scranton | |
| Don Sabara | .... | transportation captain: King of Prussia | |
| Mike Sedock | .... | transportation captain: Scranton | |
| Gary Vlaovvich | .... | driver: New York (as Gary Vlaovich) | |
| James Ware | .... | driver: Scranton | |
Other crew | |||
| Jay Abbondanza | .... | additional location scout | |
| Audra Beals | .... | intern | |
| Joshua A. Bell | .... | production accountant (as Josh Bell) | |
| Julia Camara | .... | intern | |
| Nissa Ren Cannon | .... | production executive: Silverwood Films | |
| Lisa Caracciola | .... | set medic | |
| Andrew Carr | .... | emt | |
| Robert Cedzo | .... | ultrasound consultant | |
| Tracy L. Connors | .... | set assistant | |
| Kara Costello | .... | intern | |
| Nicole Cotton | .... | payroll accountant (as Nicole A. Cotton) | |
| Kristen Daniels | .... | intern | |
| Mark Davis | .... | assistant chef | |
| Mary Desmarais | .... | intern | |
| Vincent Falcetano | .... | intern | |
| Tricia Fawls | .... | intern | |
| Jeffrey Francer | .... | head chef | |
| Jaclyn Gerowski | .... | intern | |
| Leighana Ginther | .... | intern | |
| Georgia Harris | .... | assistant: Ryan Gosling | |
| Scott Haven | .... | office production assistant | |
| Jim Helton | .... | title sequence by | |
| Megan Hughes | .... | intern | |
| David Jennis | .... | set production assistant (as Dave M. Jennis) | |
| Marshall Johnson | .... | location manager | |
| Jessie Katz | .... | intern | |
| Louis Katz | .... | medical services (as Dr. Louis Katz) | |
| Jared Kaufmann | .... | assistant: Michelle Williams | |
| Bobby Kennedy | .... | additional set assistant | |
| Noel Lohr | .... | executive: Incentive Filmed Entertainment | |
| Steve Longo | .... | intern | |
| Stephanie Lora | .... | intern | |
| Patrick Mahoney | .... | craft service (as Pat Mahoney) | |
| Kool Marder | .... | executive: Incentive Filmed Entertainment | |
| Paul Mayersohn | .... | attorney | |
| Jonathan McKeown | .... | set production assistant | |
| Katie McNeill | .... | assistant: Hunting Lane Films | |
| Barrant Nelson | .... | set production assistant | |
| Morgan Newell | .... | production secretary | |
| Christine No | .... | post-production assistant | |
| Tony Osso | .... | script supervisor | |
| Holly Pilch | .... | production office coordinator | |
| Crystal Powell | .... | assistant: Silverwood Films | |
| Caesar Rivera Jr. | .... | intern | |
| Jonathan Rodriguez | .... | set production assistant | |
| Charles Christopher Rubino | .... | title designer | |
| Maria Ryan | .... | assistant to harvey weinstein | |
| Ashley Sawyer | .... | set production assistant | |
| Joseph Scotchlas | .... | set medic | |
| Sarah Semlear | .... | intern | |
| Caylee Sender | .... | intern | |
| Mona Shokrai | .... | attorney | |
| Steven Smith | .... | executive: Incentive Filmed Entertainment | |
| Jennifer Sonnenfeld | .... | location coordinator (as Jenny Sonnenfeld) | |
| John Stefanic | .... | additional location scout | |
| Chris Tomeo | .... | location scout | |
| Jared Uhrich | .... | assistant location manager | |
| Albert Valera | .... | first assistant accountant | |
| Marilou Vetter | .... | additional first assistant accountant | |
| David Vogel | .... | key set production assistant (as David M. Vogel) | |
| Lucy Patrick Ward | .... | set production assistant | |
| Stephanie Webber | .... | intern | |
| Ethan Weinstock | .... | set production assistant | |
| Jeremy Zerechak | .... | set production assistant | |
| Laurent Boye-Guérin | .... | publicist: international (uncredited) | |
| Molly Hansen | .... | business and legal affairs (uncredited) | |
| Angel Jimenez Jr. | .... | production assistant (uncredited) | |
| Zach Warsavage | .... | production assistant (uncredited) | |
Thanks | |||
| Erica Andrew | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Mario Badescu | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Michelle Bannon | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Peter Basich | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Steven C. Beer | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Steven Beer) | |
| Susan Boehm | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Kenneth K Martinez Burgmaier | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Kenneth K. Martinez Burgmaier) | |
| Michelle Byrd | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Scott Campbell | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Armand Capullo | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Gary Ciafrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Cody Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Walker & Cody Cianfrance) | |
| Jade Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Joslyn & Jade Cianfrance) | |
| Janice Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Jason Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Jason & Jen Cianfrance) | |
| Jen Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Jason & Jen Cianfrance) | |
| Joslyn Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Joslyn & Jade Cianfrance) | |
| Megan Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Rita Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Walker Cianfrance | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Walker & Cody Cianfrance) | |
| Dan Cogan | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Kim Custer | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Michael Davis | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Sig De Miguel | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Jerome Duboz | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Irene Feldman | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Jack Finnerty | .... | special thanks | |
| Jack Finnerty | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Craig Gering | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Cindy Gillen | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Carolyn Govers | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Kirt Gunn | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Gypsy | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Martin Henderson | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Anthony Howard | .... | extra special thanks | |
| Alan Howell | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Elizabeth Howell | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Lorraine Howell | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Jon Kamen | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Olivier Katz | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Fredric King | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank: Fountainhead Films | |
| Emilie Klenk | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| David Kopple | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Andrea Marcaccio | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Danny Martin | .... | special thanks (as Corporal Danny Martin) | |
| Tony Menuto | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Rachel Mikolyski | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Susan Muir | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Forrest Murray | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Katie Mustard | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Kim Neeley | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Chizuko Niikawa | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank: Helton | |
| Barbara Orlovsky | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Barbara & Dan Orlovsky) | |
| Dan Orlovsky | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Barbara & Dan Orlovsky) | |
| Alan Patricof | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Susan & Alan Patricof) | |
| Riley Patricof | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Riley & Sawyer Patricof) | |
| Sawyer Patricof | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Riley & Sawyer Patricof) | |
| Susan Patricof | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Susan & Alan Patricof) | |
| Jean Pesce | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Shannon Plumb | .... | extra special thanks | |
| Hylda Queally | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Bingham Ray | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Felicia Reid | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Jeremy Renner | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Sarah Richmond | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Stephanie Ritz | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| John Robinson | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Robert Russell | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Justice Robert Russell) | |
| Jane Saul | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Madonna Savage | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Kelly Sawyer | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Frank Scherma | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Greta Seacat | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Greta Secat) | |
| Jake Septimus | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Phil Solomon | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Scott Speedman | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Ami Spishock | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank (as Ami Ray Spishock) | |
| Jai Stephan | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Corey Sullivan | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Graham Taylor | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Mike Tillman | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Gail Tucker | .... | special thanks | |
| Gail Tucker | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Victoria Vater | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Nadean Verdicchio | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Stephen Vincent | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
| Rachel Weisz | .... | thanks (as Rachael Weisz) | |
| Keith Zimmerman | .... | the filmmakers wish to thank | |
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| Full cast and crew | Company credits | External reviews |
| News articles | IMDb Drama section | IMDb USA section |
When I heard Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams were to be in a film called Blue Valentine, and it was about a marriage going bad, I was excited. I was hoping to see something as intriguing as Revolutionary Road, in which Leo Dicaprio, Kate Winslet, and director Sam Mendes do a fine job working with a Richard Yates novel.
Nothing of the sort exists here. Overall the film is dull and somewhat painful to watch. Not because of difficult emotional material, but rather because we just don't care about the characters. I don't fault Gosling and Williams. I think they did a fine -- perhaps even heroic -- job, but the film is a big disappointment because of weak writing and direction.
From what I understand Blue Valentine was delayed for years and when writer/director Derek Cianfrance finally got around to shooting, he told his actors he was sick of the script and that they'd better come up with something to surprise him. Purportedly, Williams was disappointed at this because she loved the script, but Gosling didn't mind because he wasn't good at remembering lines anyway. The film does have an improvised feel and the direction seems unfocused. I never got a sense of where Cianfrance wanted to take us with his story, if you can call it a story.
Cianfrance said he wanted to explore the idea of falling in and out of love, and just what causes that feeling of love to go away. I'm not sure that's a good enough premise for a film, especially if on the first day of shooting you're throwing out the script and asking your actors to improvise. Some reviewers here have said you won't see better acting this year. Yes, it's good, but it doesn't rise to greatness because the actors don't have great material to work with. Compare to Rabbit Hole, in which Nicole Kidman, Aaron Eckhart, Dianne Wiest, and Miles Teller move us to the depths of our souls -- mostly with what they say!
Early in 2010 I saw Rob Reiner's lovely film, Flipped, at which he was available afterward for a Q&A. One audience member asked, "What makes for a good movie?" Reiner didn't hesitate, saying, "If you start with a good script and you cast it right, you're 90% there." I liked that answer. And now I'm wondering "what percentage there" are we with Blue Valentine, if the casting is right but the script is thrown out in favor of a scene list? Let me venture a guess -- 30%?
Cianfrance doesn't add much that I can see because he uses a hand-held camera with too many close shots that makes it more difficult to engage with the actors and action. A documentary style is no substitute for good writing. What's more, much was made about the NC-17 rating this film originally received (appealed and later revised to R) because of the oral sex scene. But frankly, that scene, and most of the sex scenes, just made me angry because I couldn't help thinking that Cianfrance should have spent a lot less time on the sex scenes and lot more time writing a good script. Maybe then, he'd have a good picture. But he didn't and he doesn't.
Cianfrance opens the film with a married couple that we can see is unhappy, and then he flashes back to romantic times early in their relationship. The back and forth repeats throughout. Maybe because of this structure, I never really bought the romance. To me, it felt like two "not very bright people" got married for the wrong reasons, and then later found out about it. No big surprise there. Compare again to Rabbit Hole, which also opens with an unhappy married couple, but soon enough we learn that they have very good reasons to be unhappy and are struggling mightily to hang on to their love and make sense of their marriage after a devastating loss. It's great writing that lets them deliver great performances so that we truly care about them.
After the picture, my wife was disappointed, and upon learning of my disappointment, she couldn't understand why I didn't suggest leaving. I told her I had high expectations, and out of respect for Gosling and Williams I stuck with it, hoping it would get better. Well, it didn't and I'm blaming Cianfrance for wasting a lot of talent, effort, and money on something not worth shooting.