The mid-’70s in the south of France is the setting for “By the Sea.” An American couple, Vanessa (Angelina Jolie Pitt), a former dancer, and her husband, Roland (Brad Pitt), a writer, hope to ignite both his career and their relationship. With his typewriter in tow, he sets out find a topic to write about while rekindling the romance with his wife. However, they don’t anticipate the impact a highly sexualized young couple in the room next door would have on their visit.
This movie has a very European flavor to it. Not only because some of it is subtitled but also because it is a slow-developing, character-driven film. It’s the kind of movie where one could get up, go stand in a long line at the concession stand, come back and not have missed very much.
Unfortunately, Vanessa and Roland are not very interesting people. They have no depth, and even after their many conversations, viewers still will not know who they are or even care about them. They are not especially bad or good or remarkable in any way.
Its cast diversity rating is an F. While the setting, the south of France, is not a highly multicultural area, I have been there three times and people of color do live and vacation there. This film has none.
“By the Sea” was directed and written by Angelina Jolie Pitt. I suspect that is the primary reason this snooze fest reached the big screen. (That, and perhaps because its $10 million budget is very small by Hollywood standards.)
“By the Sea” is rated R for strong sexuality, nudity and language. It’s 132 minutes long, and it gets our lowest rating: Dead on Arrival.
