TxMike
I found this one on Netflix streaming movies, I wanted to see it because it is an early Christian Bale movie. He was probably 21 during filming, and Emily Watson who plays his wife was probably 28. They actually play a couple in their early 30s. It is a smart movie, basically a character study to see what happens when an old friend shows up and tries to undo everything.The movie starts in 1977 which is their present time, Christian Bale is Chris with a wife, a daughter, a house with a vegetable garden, and a train ride to his work in the city. He lives in an area generally known as Metroland. Just about exactly all the things that 14 years earlier he and his friend Toni said they would never be interested in.His wife is Emily Watson as Marion . His friend that shows up is Lee Ross as Toni, who is appalled that Chris has, in his words "sold out", abandoning the carefree lifestyle both of them said they wanted. So much of the story is Toni working hard to get Chris to be unfaithful to his wife and family and get carefree again. I found myself truly detesting Toni, and that means Ross did a fine job with that role.Much of the middle of the movie is a long flashback to 10 to 12 years earlier, when Chris, fluent in French, lived in Paris as a photographer, only wanting to make art. But he never really sold anything. It was there he met pretty French Elsa Zylberstein as Annick, and for a while they had a great love affair. But when Chris told her he had met Marion, Annick just picked up and left, even though his relationship with Marion was just friendly. Naturally he and Marion got married, moved back to England just outside of London, and had a happy if sometimes boring life.The story was mostly Chris examining his own life, the doubts instilled by Toni, and finally coming to the realization that he liked his life, he didn't want to get out of it, and he sent Toni on his way without him.
Nitin
Every person, once in a while, during his adolescent years, dreams of doing something different- something more meaningful. But then he grows up and makes the choices- mostly ending up on paths that many had taken before him and many will take after him. While traveling on that path of course, he often stops and wonders whether he made the right decision- is this the right path for him. Metroland beautifully explores this state of mind when a person is half way down the road and wondering whether the decision he took was right or whether he should really become that rebel he always dreamed of becoming. The fact that this movie (made in nineties) is shot in the context of seventies emphasizes this point even further- the situation doesn't change with the decade- or with the ages. The acting is brilliant with Christian Bale on the top. The two leading ladies are OK though not too impressive.The direction is the one that truly steals the show. The director is able to create the effect of the viewer actually being part of the journey with the protagonist, where he starts from the feeling of what if and ending up in the awakening. A must watch for anyone past there 20s and feeling settled in their life.
Flagrant-Baronessa
... and this state of mind is Chris' (Christian Bale) concern throughout the film - it is about not going anywhere or doing anything, but being stuck in Suburbia with a wife and baby in 1970s Midlands. In particular, this is Chris' childhood friend's concern for him as he visits his old friend and sees what rut he appears to be in. Chris gradually starts to reflect on his younger years with the help from his mate Toni and remembers what a rebellious spirit he once was. This flashback device is efficient for the film as it further emphasizes the tediousness of Metroland by contrasting it to Chris' dreams and idealism as a young man.Metroland greatly showcases Christian Bale's versatility as an actor, stripping him of whatever traces of superhero glamour from Batman Begins that was left in his image. Here we can recognize his ability to portray a character that is a downright loser and we enjoy it. There is plenty of Bale-goodies in this film, not just in his acting performance. Credit should also go to the lovely Emily Watson as Chris' little Suburbian wife.Metroland is a fairly cute low-budget English film that occasionally borders on being severely depressing. Yet, this is compensated for by including the punk edge of the 1970s that takes the form of a disdain for the bourgeoisie and a rebellious attitude. All the Paris segments that Chris recalls are well-made and entertaining and by far the more memorable parts of this film. Everything else is nice, but forgettable. 7/10
Theo Robertson
When the titles of METROLAND started it instantly reminded me of the Rachel Weisz black comedy BEAUTIFUL CREATURES which had been on the previous night. The title sequences were so similar it was uncanny as the camera travels along a rail track to a hypnotic beat . Mind you if I remember correctly things actually happened in BEAUTIFUL CREATURES , hardly anything happens in METROLAND I think this problem isn`t helped by the fact there`s some French input to this movie , yes despite it being set in middle England METROLAND is an Anglo-French co-production not a very succesful combination at the best of times and even a bigger failure where film making is concerned . You see the French gave the world the concept of film study and analysis which means a French critic or a French audience will be able to strip away the veneer of what`s on screen and draw their own conclusions as to what the story is really about - An English speaking audience won`t which means this critic here can only see a slow moving romantic comedy with a very episodic nature. Have you ever been invited to a dinner party where all the guests know each very well and just talk amongst themselves making you feel very left out ? That`s how I felt watching METROLAND , and couldn`t help thinking it might have been far better if the story had been set in Paris with an entirely French cast
AD
