The costumes
Most every scene everyone was very well dressed. They didn't ham it up too much with the four seasons. Billy looked great a number of times, particularly while eating hotodgs. But Really Meg Showed a great number in almost every single scene. She always had a different hat or bag, or her hair done just slightly differently, and it was just the kind of look that entertains without dialog or music, just long enough to keep you focused without getting you too far away from the story. I think all of her looks could still work today, and that goes for other characters, too. I've never been a huge fan of the blazer and blue jeans look, though. Also, it was 103F here today, something like 39.5C, pretty much all of their clothes look like they inhabit a different planet than this one.
The script
Well god damn if there weren't 30 scenes they just fucking nailed. Watching TV together on the phone? Nice. How about Their Friends Packing into a cab after a Double Date? Yes. I can't remember how many times I chuckled, chortled. They almost lost control of things with the montages and time jumps near the final third. But they were just saving time for the dramatic conclusion, which played out perfectly, just enough drama and emotion. Maybe the climax was a bit anticlimactic, actually, but maybe I've just seen those lines copied too many times. It is hard to tell, but it was good either way.
The acting
There were so many lines followed by cuts or moods. The only one I can remember falling a bit short was the scene with Meg and her two friends at lunch when she tells them she broke up with long-term boyfriend. She seemed so composed, and then completely lost. It did not seem plausible, and furthermore it did not match her character, which is always held together. But that is really the only moment in 100 some minutes. Occasionally Billy was shaky, but it wasn't at critical junctures. In the store checking out the karaoke machine, he does this "froze" routine. Shows up a bit later in a dramatic bedroom moment. Seems a bit heavy handed to have him go blank like that and then have his best friend have trouble noticing. Maybe that isn't an acting problem, but it was a small bump in an otherwise solid delivery.
The cinematography
Well shit if things weren't pretty fucking amazing all the time. A few standouts: Every scene with Meg, in Billy's apartment rolling out a carpet, the phone time movie watching scene, the part where Meg buys a Christmas Tree By Herself. Seriously I think the film crew was in love with Meg. They seemed to take extra care for shots of her. Was she the only one in the film with Green Eyes? Seemed like it to me.
The test of time
Well fuck, if this isn't a cis gender heterosexual parade. Monogamous, too. Seems pretty compelling, but I dunno, I think things have changed a bit in terms of what poeple expect out of relatonships. Partnerships? I mean, I hope people aren't feeling too pressured to get married and have kids, just because? Clearly the people in this film have no money problems at all. They seem very, very well to do. I think most people have a lot less time and headspace to contemplate romance. They don't ever talk about their other family members, for example. No sick relatives, no need to visit distant places, no need to keep track of random people. But yeah, these are all pretty minor things compared to Billy repeatedly calling Meg. I'd just call that harrassment. If she doesn't answer then he shouldn't keep calling. It is a bit of a montage so it can be bit hard to tell the timespan. Like, are all these calls in just a week, or are they spread out over time? It made me uncomfortable, and they treated it as romantic and that made me more uncomfortable. Despite that, I still feel like they have a really good thing going. Lots of understanding, history, ups and downs. It is sugary and artificial, but it is the love version of that. What a watch.
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