xx/xy

Director: Austin Chick
Year: 2002
Cast: Mark Ruffalo, Maya Stange, Kathleen Robertson, Petra Wright.
Rating: **1/2 (out of ****)

xx/xy. Cool name for a movie. What do you say? No, don't worry this movie is not about chromosome theory. Anyway.

Who should you go with? The woman you had a steamy history and still feel the same about you or the woman who looks out for you, who is always there for you, understands you more than perhaps you do and accepts you as you are. Sometimes not complaining at all isn't noble. People start taking you for granted. This is what happens with Claire (Petra Wright), long time girlfriend of Coles (Mark Buffalo). Her eyes reflect wisdom. Coles is a wannabe movie director. He had this fling with beautiful (she really is) Sam (Maya Stange) and had a threesome with Sam and their common friend Theo(Kathleen Robertson).

Now this Coles guy is a person who can't stand up to anything, always carrying that smirk on his face. Such people need partners with greater understanding capabilities. Coles has found this very quality in Claire. They are (at least seem) happy together. Until Coles accidentally run into Sam one afternoon and all those memories rush back. And the fate of these three people arrive at crossroads. What happens next is xx/xy for you. A romantic (non-comedy) film.

So how was it? Well, not very special if you ask me. I mean, the quality of romantic movies that holds you is depth, of emotions, of visuals, of the longing. That depth is missing. Story doesn't have anything to offer either. The characters are developed fine.

Roger Ebert says, " Jerks are often the most interesting characters in the movies, and sometimes the ones most like ourselves. "XX/XY" would be dismal if the characters all behaved admirably.' Well sir, this is not my problem that these people are jerks and I totally agree these they are most likely to reflect human spirit with all it's exuberance but the way characters evolved was least convincing for me.

All said, I appreciate the makers of the movie for it's courageous ending. It made my two hours worthwhile.