It's hard to give a positive review of a film, where all of the characters depicted are rather horrible people, especially during the final third of the film.
But it has good intentions, the director is trying to express his life experiences on screen, so you cannot help but show a little empathy toward the main character and his struggles.
Two poets with bipolar disorder meet in a psychiatric facility, and embark on a passionate artistic partnership.....
From the upstart, the film oozes pretentiousness from every one of it's cinematic pores, and although the film does show slight signs of humour, it's a very depressing affair that shouts doom and gloom for its duration.
Kirby plays the Bi-polar Romeo to Holmes' Juliet, and when they are not waxing art/philosophy, they are getting hassle from their parents about what they should and shouldn't do....several times during the film.
It gets to the point where you want to climb into the scene and tell the parents to let them get on with it. Yes, there are a couple of instances where they endanger their lives (the highlight of the film), but as the film progresses, their illness begins to alleviate, so antagonising the two would only exacerbate things wouldn't they? Holmes is great, and it's a wonder why she isn't in more films, she carries the film, even if she delivers the biggest insult in the final third, and this is where the film fails.
Spoilers ahead.......
Holmes appears to get better, and return to a form of normality. So what would be the best thing to do? Anybody would stand by their man, as they have had first hand knowledge into his illness, and identify traits associated with it.
Nope, she leaves the first chance she gets, and then they release a book together.
And this is what ruined the film for me. She is such a caring person for the majority of the film, and for her own selfish reasons, decides to uproot and go. Yes, there maybe a chance that his behaviour could 'reignite' her illness, but isn't where true love conquers all? Or can't people with mental health problems have true love? the final act really vexed me, and guess what, the family come back and kick him while he's down....yet again.
Although it's very well acted, and has a dream, almost Vanilla Sky-esque feel to it, the final third just ruins it.
