For Ellen

For Ellen (2012) follows a musician who neglected his personal life to follow his dream, who then ends up in a fight with his ex-wife for custody of his young daughter. This film was beautiful, and although slow, I was constantly engaged due to Paul Dano's flawless and heartbreaking performance.

This film is an intimate portrait of a man with no idea what he wants in his life, who feels truly hopeless. The protagonist (Joby) is deeply flawed but I still felt sorry for him. Paul Dano was incredibly and this film really shows his range. All the acting was very good, and I loved the interactions between Joby and his daughter as they started off very awkward but you could tell he was trying his best. The dialogue was strong as well and kept me invested.

The pacing was slow and steady, with a very mellow tone that made the film genuinely sad. It also felt brutally realistic and I'm sure will resonate with a lot of people. The ending feels refreshing whist also being melancholic and leaves a lot up to the audience's interpretation.

The themes were very strong and were a big part of what made this film so heavy and impactful for me. It really shows the negative elements of the music industry too, and how it doesn't leave time for family.

Lastly, the cinematography and visuals were quite simplistic but this worked well. The setting felt isolated, and added to the sadness and hopelessness the main character experiences. There were a lot of great long, slow shots that invoked a lot of emotional for me personally.