XX/XY

Amazon.com

A sharply acted film that manages to be both sexy and thoughtful, XX/XY asks uncomfortable questions about the tricky business of passion. The opening half-hour details an immature college relationship between Mark Ruffalo and Maya Stange; cut to 10 years later, when the two meet again as "grown-ups" and have no idea what to do with their old feelings. Director Austin Chick bravely allows his characters to be messed-up and uncertain, and the actors respond with complex performances: Ruffalo confirms the promise of his You Can Count on Me breakthrough, Stange is a heartbreaking Australian discovery, and Petra Wright shines as Ruffalo's new girlfriend, who has more to her than we first suspect. This film was somewhat lost in the shuffle of 2002's indie releases, but it deserves a look for its clear-eyed embrace of all the gray areas that often get left out of movies. --Robert Horton

Description

They gave in to their deepest desires, but can they overcome their biggest fears? Mark Ruffalo (Windtalkers), Kathleen Robertson ("Girls Club") and Maya Stange (Garage Days) deliver stunning performances in this steamy, highly charged film that explores the passions of youth and theirinevitable price. When New York animator Coles (Ruffalo) meets Sam (Stange), the attraction is immediate. And when Sam invites her hot friend Thea (Robertson) to bed with them, it's a dreamcome true until ugly secrets destroy the carefree threesome. Ten years later, their very different lives converge again and Coles realizes how much he still loves Sam. But can he risk everything to tell her the naked truth?

Customer Reviews:

Flawed but Good.......2007-08-10

This movie contains three solid actors, and a good premise of a story, but the pacing is off. It becomes slow in some places, and a certain side of the main character is not explored enough in the flashback. The direction is great for an indie - interesting shots, and the muted colors are used well, but the storytelling can be just as muted at times. Mark Ruffalo continues to prove himself to be one of the best actors of his generation. His performance alone is reason enough to see it.

XX/XY.......2006-11-10

I have never written a movie review, so please bear with me as I try to do some justice to this film.I really like Mark Ruffalo,and I think he is ready to break out and become the leading man that he is capable of being. This film didn't do that for him.He is caught up in a film that doesn't allow his character to grow and develope into a mature person.His friends from college have moved on with their lives and years later Mark crosses paths with them and he is ready to take up with them where they left off,however this doesn't work for them.He hasn't learned a thing about love and commintments.He is like a little kid that can't decide what candy bar to buy. This film is rated R,but at times during the movie I get the feeling that it boarders on soft porn. If you like Mark Ruffalo,this film is worth watching at least once,just keep the kids away from it.

Another great performance by Mark Ruffalo........2006-04-07

Overall, this movie was "ok"- it was enhanced by Mark Ruffalo's performance and while I wasn't so fond of the ending, it's still a movie worth your time to see.

Somewhat similar to "Closer", but not nearly as engaging.......2006-03-14

I've watch this movie right after watching "Closer" and while I found quite a few similarities, like "sexual intrigues among two couples", "no sympathetic characters", "daring leap of times ("Closer's" leap of time were more daring)", "no character achieves true happiness" and "inconclusive ending".

However I found the tensions developed in "XX/XY" as somewhat clichéd, wishy-washy and non-engaging. While in "Closer" those tensions were much well-defined and dramatic. While "XX/XY" strived for realistic depiction of relationship's, I found "Closer" not only more real but more existing and dramatic. The filmmaker doesn't has to compromise realism with dramatization, in fact the most real things can be the most dramatic (only watch "Open Water" to convince yourself).

Another thing that I found quite cheesy, is the introduction of the "filmmaker" profession; a stranger who requested money back from the filmmaker for the movie who watched; and the discussion about a movie of the filmmaker who got unfairly poor reviews by a "Time" reviewer. Are all themes really used up, and there is nothing more to make a movie then a movie about a moviemaker?! Is the director of this movie so unsure about his movie that he feared people requesting money back after watching it or poor reviews from movie critics? So he tackled this issues upfront, in hope people will be nice to his movie.

Fans of Petra Wright Will Enjoy It.......2005-12-11

The first half of "XX/XY" is a labeled as a flashback to 1993, the second half is labeled a flash-forward a few years to the present. The transition between the two time periods is immediately proceeded by a confusingly contrived match cut from bedroom to subway. The subway scene is brief and unnecessary, a less than zero addition that must have looked like a good idea on paper. Unfortunately, once they staged it they felt compelled to use it.

Although "XX/XY" is told as a linear story, during post-production they realized that it was too choppy and confusing for straight viewing and elected to label the scene transitions with a lot of on-screen titles. Although viewers will thank them for this last-minute fix, it is like making an explicit admission of writer/director Austin Chick's limitations and/or pre-production laziness. The final cut gives the impression that it wasn't until the actual assembly of this film that Chick gave any thought to the sequence for many of the scenes.

The bleak colors, inadequate lighting, and bland production design are depressingly consistent with the tone of the story. Don't expect to find anything uplifting except the Taco ads and the advertising agency parody.

Those expecting a script on the intelligence level of "Closer" (a similar premise) will be disappointed despite decent performances from the entire cast. I initially watched from the perspective of a Kathleen Robertson fan and was disappointed with her quite ancillary position in the story relative to Mark Ruffalo and Maya Strange. Although promoted as the story of a "carefree threesome", Robertson's Thea is just a third wheel in the Coles (Ruffalo)-Sam (Stange) relationship. Chick briefly gives Robertson something to do as she breaks Sid (Kel O'Neill), a shy puppy dog boy who she teasingly sleeps with once. But he goes nowhere with this, apparently it is just there to insure viewers dislike all members of the threesome, not just the principal two.

If you can manage to tough it out for a while, things get much better in the second half. The "Gatsby" ending is actually very good. Mostly this is because each member of the threesome has paired up in monogamist relationships with very likable people. By this point Coles has become the principal character as Chick begins to explore the mysteries of male discontent. The Coles' characterization is hard to buy into, there is just too much inconsistency as Chick tries to make him both a wimp and a "stick it to the man" rebel (I assume that this inconsistency is supposed to be the whole point for the movie). Although Ruffalo can adequately play either character he cannot perform the impossible and weave these disparate traits into a believable person.

The second half shows Coles involved in a long-term relationship with Claire (Petra Wright). Once her character is introduced, Wright proceeds to steal the remainder of the film, not just because she is the film's first well-adjusted character (and arguably most talented performer), but because her part is written so much better than the others. Claire's scene on the pier is the film's best moment and the one thing here that you will want to go back and view multiple times.

Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.

Average customer rating:

Flawed but Good
XX/XY
Another great performance by Mark Ruffalo.
Somewhat similar to "Closer", but not nearly as engaging
Fans of Petra Wright Will Enjoy It

XX/XY [Region 2]
Starring: Mark Ruffalo , Maya Stange , Kathleen Robertson , Kel O'Neill , and Ben Tolpin
Director: Austin Chick
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

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ASIN: B0002ADWJ4