W.E.

Released by: Anchor Bay Entertainment/The Weinstein Company
Date released: 1.20.12
Directed by: Madonna
Starring: Abbie Cornish, Andrea Riseborough, James D'Arcy, Oscar Isaac, Richard Coyle
Year: 2011
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The Movie:

The title stems from the initials of the main historical figures depicted in this film, namely Wallis “Wally” Sampson (Riseborough) and Prince Edward (D'Arcy) of Wales. The latter abdicated the throne of England for the former, an American divorcee, and was exiled from his home country as a result. But it's their love affair and, more specifically, Wally's perspective on it all that compels the broader film.

The film's story uses this historical event and these characters to inform the modern story of Wally Winthrop (Cornish), who's named after the other character. This Wally's life also looks perfect on the outside as she's landed a very successful, charming husband who's also a rich doctor, William (Coyle). But it's clear early on that their marriage isn't ideal as she's trying to get pregnant via IVF while she suspects him of infidelity.

An auction of the estate of Wallis and Edward - who became the Duke & Duchess of York after the abdication, living out their days in France - at Sotheby's becomes Wally's connection to her namesake since this Wally had worked at the auction house previously and had to give up her job once she got married, at her new husband's insistence. Wally is drawn to the fairy tale but soon sees parallels with the other character in many ways. And so the film proceeds with numerous flashbacks attempting to flesh out the details of that historic romance through the modern Wally's perspective.

As her personal life begins to unravel and she buries herself more and more in the older Wallis' narrative (she even begins seeing/talking to the other character as if she's like a companion spirit) modern Wally meets a caring, handsome Russian security guard from Sotheby's, Evgeni (Isaac). His charm and diversity draw her close to him and after suffering a violent demeaning altercation with William she is rescued by Evgeni and gets to start anew. All she needs is closure on older Wallis' story which she gets by traveling to Paris to read a private letter collection of Wallis'. The letters serve as the penultimate narrative device where the hopes and fears, the dreams and the shame of older Wallis are laid bare to modern Wally such that she can understand what it is that both women realize - that finding some actual true love is worth all the heartache the world can offer.

What might be clear from this synopsis is the jumbled, hackneyed state of the narrative of this film. It's unclear as to who's story it really wants to tell, choosing all-too-obvious parallel anecdotes to try and hammer its message of true love across. The editing is chopping and the use of digital, 16mm and even Super 8 film stock only serve to heighten this confusion and lack of focus.

The one good thing that can be said for this film is its production - the costuming and set design are exemplary. Since the Duke & Duchess were fashion templates for an emerging design world - and even still inspire design - the reproductions here as well as how that sense translates to the modern-era story are quite stunning. The same can be said for the set design as the lavishness of royal existence as well as modern rich Manhattan doctor family are given explicit attention to detail. I suppose that's to be expected with Madonna at the helm...

Audio/Video/Extras:

The BD from The Weinstein Company comes in a beautiful widescreen (2.35:1) transfer that really gets put through its paces by the film as it used apparently around 40 very varied locations in different conditions. And this disc displays them in outstanding fashion, where the darks never intrude or get muddy and the brights are never over-saturating. The HD 5.1 DTS audio track also gets a pretty hefty workout as there are huge party scenes and intimate, whispered scenes that cover the range of the track's abilities, which it handles quite well. English SDH and Spanish subtitles are available as well.

The only extra included on the disc is a making-of featurette (:20 min.) that talks to all the main acting talent as well as writer/director Madonna and the costume designer. They discuss some rigors of the production but mostly discuss the source characters' stories and what they liked about working on this movie.

Summary:

Showing both that the present can find meaning in the past as well as the fact that celebrity life is not so glamorous W.E. sloppily manages to convey its message wrapped in a slick veneer of outstanding costuming and set design. But told almost exclusively from the perspective of both women, this is most definitely one for the ladies (Note: My wife's a big Madonna fan and really enjoyed the film. And yet, somehow, we're still married...)