I was skeptical. Let me back up. I have a problem with films that take nominations before they’ve been released to the public. That’s wrong. This isn’t a movie review on the day or week of release; this is a small group of people determining by themselves what deserves our collective cultural praise and what doesn’t. In the wake of the Academy snubbing actors and actresses of color for the second straight year and the further revelation that the committee itself is mostly comprised of old, white males … well, giving a best actress nomination to old, white female Charlotte Rampling, whose picture we haven’t seen, is suspect.
I want you to think about this very, very carefully: Suppose Spike Lee’s production company hadn’t released Chi-Raq until February 5, 2016 and a voting committee consisting of 70% African American men under the age of 35 decided three weeks earlier Teyonah Parris’ role in said film was among the five best of the year. What would you say to that? If you don’t see the problem here, you are never going to.
Naturally, I was skeptical. And I still am, but 45 Years is a good film and while I’d rather have seen a Teyonah Parris nomination, I’d sooner lose Jennifer Lawrence (Joy) or Saoirse Ronan (Brooklyn) from the nominee list, than take the nod away from Charlotte Rampling.
45 Years dares ask when do you stop being insecure in a relationship and gives the frightening answer of, literally, “never.” To love is to be insecure. Kate (Rampling) and Geoff (Tom Courtenay) have been married since Smokey Robinson was a Miracle. As they plan their 45th anniversary, it’s cute to see the music they choose, mostly straight out of 1960s Motown. And why wouldn’t they? That’s what played at anniversary zero.
Geoff gets some disturbing news in German – the Swiss have found Katya, the girlfriend he lost to a glacier in 1962. While off-screen, the authorities debate whether it’s time for another SNL “Unfrozen Cave[man] Lawyer” sketch, on-screen Kate wonders where Geoff’s head is. Exactly how much did this girl mean to him? And does Kate really want to know the answer?
When the septuagenarian alpha male is thrown into sexual frenzy the following night and follows a disappointing performance with an insomniacal search for a picture of Katya, Kate has her answer. Is there more? How could a woman gone a half a century possibly influence what appears to be a strong marriage?
I assume you’ve seen at least 
one of those stupid Paranormal Activity films, yes? You know how there’s “Day 1” and the lamp moves and “Day 2” and the door opens? 45 Years carefully labels each day counting down to the anniversary party and, in a way, it plays exactly like a Paranormal Activity film – each day we learn something new, something just a little more disturbing, something that makes endeavor just a little more unsettling. Well, the big difference here is that 45 Years is actually scary.
Were it not for a relatively disappointing third act, I would have this film in my Best of 2015 pile. This is a true exploration of what it means to be married a long, long time … and without reaching that critical snore zone where Amour thrived. Well, that’s all subjective, I guess. And I’ve come full circle: only you can tell you if a film is boring. Only you can tell you if a film is good. Oh, I can string 1,000 words or more on how and why The Passion of the Christ sucked ass, but only prose matters; the opinion means nothing. At the end of the day, my judgment doesn’t matter and neither do awards. So quit dickin’ us around, Academy and production companies. Don’t freaking nominate things we haven’t had a chance to see yet. You too, Golden Globes. Let us decide what we think before you decide it for us.
♪When I was twenty-two, it was a very bad year
It was a very bad year for my girl Katya
While hiking far from here
Fell down a glacier
Our romance was through
When I was twenty-two
When I was seventy, it was a very bad year
It was a very bad year for lost secret
My wife got upset
There was great regret
Party sans levity
When I was seventy♫
Rated R, 95 Minutes
D: Andrew Haigh
W: Andrew Haigh
Genre: Geriatric thriller
Type of person most likely to enjoy this film: Fogies
Type of person least likely to enjoy this film: Fogies with ghosts
♪ Parody inspired by “It Was a Very Good Year”
