Review of 45 Years

Beautiful yet melancholic film with two live characters and a shadow between them. Maybe one's love and passion for a previous partner may fade away over a long successful new relationship, but not the insecurity and jealousy inspired in the new partner. How can one compete with a past love tragically lost, especially when this love was never worn out by daily routine and everyday problems and conflict. How to be sure one is not simply filling a space left empty? Of course, it does not help to have to deal with such issues afresh after 45 years building a whole life around a marriage, without even the comfort of children. Even the character's names seem chosen to reinforce the idea of living in one's shadow – the dead partner's name was Cathy, and the present wife is called Kate. I found the story very similar to James Joyce's short story The Dead (from Dubliners), also turned into a beautiful film featuring Anjelica Huston. However, while The Dead has a truly pessimistic perspective, 45 Years ultimately lets the viewer decide whether there's still hope for this marriage or is it doomed to be always a patch up business.