empire331
This movie is boring and very slow paced, maybe too long for the theme. Jolie's character is extremely annoying and depressive. Nothing emotional, just a couple trying to save the marriage as they go through the mid-life crisis and each of them share a bizarre passion for spying the younger neighbors. Awkward.
The setting is beautiful though, southern France is fascinating, for sure. Melanie Laurent does a nice supporting role and the atmosphere is dark and melancholic.
sergelamarche
Beuh, lots of cigarettes. The film is slow going. We are left to think what makes these two in such bad mood. I was thinking they killed a kid but it was sort of the contrary. The woman, not too bright, follows her dark path for a solution. Lucky the man stopped her. This film seemed familiar to me, like a remake. I recall a woman getting a married guy easily. Not sure it flies in real life, unless they are psychopaths of course. People were that crazy in the 70s.
melseele
Angelina has once again failed in every way possible with this movie! Her editing was bad, her directing was horrible, and her acting was just horrendous. She has failed to put out a good movie in quite some time and By the Sea was not even close to a good movie. Even the script was just horrible. If you think that being a voyeur is going to save your marriage, Jolie will show you all the ways that it won't with this movie. Even Brad Pitt should be ashamed of himself for his role in this movie as his acting was just as bad as Angelina's. Based off their lack of chemistry in this movie, I can understand why this couple got divorced. The movie was so slow that there were times that the only thing that saved the movie was the beautiful background of Malta. And Brad Pitt's car was the star of this movie in my opinion!
hethomps
I really tried to give this film a chance, even though I have seen very few positive reviews. Unfortunately, lovely Southern French scenery, stylish 70s ambiance, and two famous megastars couldn't save this plodding, microscopic examination of two of the most boring characters ever created. I simply did not care if the characters in this film lived or died. The only interesting and honest performance is delivered by Niels Arestrup as Michele, the sympathetic bar owner in whom Pitt's character confides while he drowns in drunken self-pity. Angelina Jolie is so bland and expressionless, and Brad Pitt looks like he'd rather be anywhere else except in this film. I've never thought of him or Jolie as particularly strong actors, but when given a passable script, each can usually deliver a reasonable performance Not here, unfortunately. All I can think is this film was just a narcissistic Jolie "vanity project." Seriously, I have seen better films from juniors and seniors in film school. It's galling to think you just need money to produce a film, not real talent.
AD
