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By the Sea
2015 122 min United States of America, Malta R 18+
★5.2
Drama, Romance
Director: Angelina Jolie
Trailers
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Teaser
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Description
Set in France during the mid-1970s, Vanessa, a former dancer, and her husband Roland, an American writer, travel the country together. They seem to be growing apart, but when they linger in one quiet, seaside town they begin to draw close to some of its more vibrant inhabitants, such as a local bar/café-keeper and a hotel owner.
Budget:
$10M
US Gross:
$538,460
Worldwide:
$3.73M
Starring
Brad Pitt
Actor
Angelina Jolie
Actor
Mélanie Laurent
Actor
Awards
1 win & 2 nominations total
Key opinion
By the Sea is a polarizing art-house drama that succeeds in its aesthetic presentation but fails to connect with a broad audience due to its sluggish pace and thin screenplay. While some viewers appreciate its contemplative look at marital decay and depression, many find the characters insular, the dialogue pretentious, and the overall execution hollow.
| Production | The film features stunning cinematography and meticulously crafted 1970s production design that effectively evokes the atmosphere of the French Riviera. | |
| Score | The soundtrack, featuring tracks from Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin, is a standout element that perfectly complements the film's visual tone. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay is widely criticized for being overly simplistic and disjointed, with dialogue that many viewers found pretentious and hollow. | |
| Theme | The characters, particularly Jolie's role, are frequently described as unsympathetic, illogical, or poorly developed, making it difficult for the audience to engage with their struggles. | |
| Pacing | The two-hour runtime creates a divisive experience: some find the deliberate, slow-burn tempo a rewarding exploration of emotional apathy, while others find it tedious and exhausting. | |
| Acting | Opinions on the lead performances are split; some see a raw, honest portrayal of a crumbling marriage, while others perceive the acting as stiff, mannered, or overtly self-obsessed. |