I was hesitant to watch this movie after I read the reviews, but as a duly appointed McGregor fan, it felt like an obligation to do so. And to be honest, I wasn't dissapointed. This movie has been bashed in accordance to the expectations of any Vin Diesel bullet, bomb and car chase flick. Maybe most people were hoping to see a thriller of a woman seeking revenge after the death of her son, a bomb squad police officer opening fire on hundreds of cliched Muslim militants and a reporter who digs in the dirt as he uncovers the truth behind a huge terrorist plot.
If anything, the title's a bit misleading. What I saw was the story of a young mother riddled with guilt, her desire to find love after her marriage has fizzled and her emotional process of mourning. Michelle Williams is astounding in the role of a woman in denial of the death of her little boy, both blaming and desiring the lover she was making love with when a bomb kills her family in a stadium during a match. McGregor, the lover, is pretty well seasoned in emotionally complex films and I was not let down by his performance; You can see the transition from a confident, cocky, rich single male to a man slowly falling in love through a feeling of guilt, second only to the young mother's, and trying hard to help her put the pieces of her life back together to redeem himself. And like in any complex psychological drama, there's the bad guy, her late husband's colleague, who knows much more than he's letting on and wants to hide the truth in order to get the object of his desire: The mouring mother.
I found this to be a touching film on the complexity of love and relationships and the difficult process of letting go in every stage of it. Renewal, starting over and finding joy in life also play an important part. So if you are a fan of big bombs and hollywoodesque pyro effects, don't bother; If, however, you do enjoy a little bit of deep thinking and analyzing while enjoying a human drama, then this is for you.
I can't believe some of the poor reviews I have read on this film. Why does the film have to 'know what it is'? A thriller, a romance...it doesn't matter, all this proves is that it cleverly includes all genres in it's storyline. Being a parent myself, I found the film the most emotional and impactive film I have ever seen, and it stays with you long after it's finished. The build up of drama and character understanding makes the final scenes all the more gripping. I think it is a complete success for British film and an impressionable comment on terrorism and it's victims. Wonderful.