The Edge of Love: Difference between revisions

| starring = {{unbulleted listPlainlist|
* [[Keira Knightley]]|
* [[Sienna Miller]]|
* [[Cillian Murphy]]|
* [[Matthew Rhys]]
}}

'''''The Edge of Love''''' is a 2008 British [[Biographical film|biographical]] [[Romance film|romantic]] [[drama film]] directed by [[John Maybury]] and starring [[Keira Knightley]], [[Sienna Miller]], [[Cillian Murphy]], and [[Matthew Rhys]]. The script was written by Knightley's mother, [[Sharman Macdonald]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=McCartney|first1=Jenny|title=Film reviews: The Edge of Love and Adulthood|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3554717/Film-reviews-The-Edge-of-Love-and-Adulthood.html|website=The Telegraph|access-date=5 October 2017|date=19 June 2008|archive-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005000522/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/3554717/Film-reviews-The-Edge-of-Love-and-Adulthood.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Originally titled ''The Best Time of Our Lives'', the fictional story concerns Welsh poet [[Dylan Thomas]] (played by Rhys), his wife [[Caitlin Thomas|Caitlin Macnamara]] (played by Miller) and their married friends, the Killicks (played by Knightley and Murphy). The film premiered at the [[Edinburgh International Film Festival]].

The story is loosely based on real events and people, drawing on Rebekah Gilbertson's idea and [[David N. Thomas]]' 2000 book ''Dylan Thomas: A Farm, Two Mansions and a Bungalow''.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dargis|first1=Manohla|title=Matthew Rhys, Keira Knightley and Sienna Miller as Dylan Thomas’sThomas's Circle|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/movies/20edge1.html|website=The New York Times|access-date=5 October 2017|date=19 March 2009|archive-date=5 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171005000841/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/20/movies/20edge1.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He has since written further about Dylan and Vera, highlighting the several deceits in the film that trivialised their friendship. He has described how Dylan and Vera were related as cousins, and the extent to which their families inter-married, farming together as neighbours on the [[Llansteffan]] peninsula in Carmarthenshire.<ref>''Thomas, D. N. (2013) Dylan Thomas and The Edge of Love: the Real Story'' in ''Cambria'', February and online at [https://sites.google.com/site/dylanthomasandtheedgeoflove/dylan-thomas-and-the-edge-of-love-the-real-story?authuser=0 Dylan and Vera] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211123145229/https://sites.google.com/site/dylanthomasandtheedgeoflove/dylan-thomas-and-the-edge-of-love-the-real-story?authuser=0 |date=23 November 2021 }}</ref>

During the [[The Blitz|London Blitz]], nightclub singer Vera Phillips runs into her first love, the charismatic Welsh poet [[Dylan Thomas]]. DespiteAlthough Dylan havingis now married andto startedCaitlin a familyMacnamara, with Caitlinwhom he has a Macnamarason, thehe twoand Vera rekindle feelings for one another. The two women, initially imbued in a rivalryrivals, become best friends. and, drinkingDrinking heavily in wartime London, the three come to get along.

As this is going on, William Killick, a British Army officer, begins to pursue Vera. Both Vera and Caitlin are intrigued by his steadfast, gallant personality, despite its contrasts with Vera's rebelliousness. William notices Vera's closeness withto Dylan, but doesn't appear concerned by it; he and Vera even lend the struggling poet some of their savings. William and Vera fall in love and marry,. butSoon soon afterwardsafterward, William is called up to join the fight against the [[German invasion of Greece]] after the Italians [[Greco-Italian War|failed]].

Shortly after William's departure, Vera discovers that she is pregnant. Upset that motherhood will take away her independence, she contemplates aborting William'sthe child but cannot bring herself to do so. VeraShe gives birth to a son, and shemoves andto the ThomasesWelsh moveseashore towith theDylan Welshand seashoreCaitlin to raise their children in two small neighbouring cottages, where. Vera and Caitlin's friendship grows stronger. while Dylan and Caitlin's marriage growsbecomes distorted by multiple infidelities, and. Dylan draws Vera into having an affair with him.

William, nowreturns a captain, returns home, scarred by the horrors of the war. Vera notices his emotional distance and instability. In his disquiet, William comes to suspectsuspects his wife's of infidelity and confronts her about it. Vera confesses the truth to both William and Caitlin, bothwho of whom becomeare furious with Veraher. One evening, while severely inebriated and angry with Dylan's friends andfor their ignorant remarks on the war, William wanders outoutside and fires multiple shots into theDylan Thomasesand Caitlin's househome. He does not hit anyone, and Vera manages to talkcalms him down. The next morning, William seems to returnhave returned to his former self. However, he is arrested and taken to trial.

During the trial, Dylan testifies against William and exaggeratesdistorts the facts, statingclaiming that William was sober and that William intended to kill himDylan, his wifeCaitlin, and histheir child. The jury finds William innocent of intent to murder,. andAfter he returnsreturning home., HeWilliam accepts his new role as a father, and he and Vera forgive each other,. eventuallyTheir rekindlingrelationship their relationshipimproves. SoonDylan afterwards,and the ThomasesCaitlin move out of their cottage. During theirthe farewell, Vera restores her friendship with Caitlin, but she never speaks withto Dylan again, unable to forgive him for testifying against her husband.

The film made its world premiere opening at the [[Edinburgh Film Festival]] on 18&nbsp;June 2008. It was released in [[London]] and [[Dublin]] two days later, with a [[Wales|Welsh]] premiere taking place in [[Swansea]] (the birthplace of [[Dylan Thomas]]) on the same night, attended by [[Matthew Rhys]]. A national release followed in the UK and Ireland on 27&nbsp;June 2008.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/22/film.review1|title=Review: The Edge of Love|last=French|first=Philip|date=2008-06-21|website=theThe Guardian|language=en|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=11 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411014145/https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2008/jun/22/film.review1|url-status=live}}</ref> An exhibition of costumes, scripts and props from the film was on display at the [[Dylan Thomas Centre]] in [[Swansea]] until September&nbsp;2008. ''The Edge of Love'' has earned {{US$|3,238,922}} in gross revenue since its June 2008 release.<ref>{{cite web|title=The Edge of Love (2009) - Financial Information|url=http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Edge-of-Love-The#tab=summary|website=The Numbers|access-date=7 October 2017|archive-date=7 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171007070230/http://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Edge-of-Love-The#tab=summary|url-status=live}}</ref><!--shouldn't this figure be given in pounds?-->

The review aggregatorOn [[Rotten Tomatoes]] reported that the film received a 37% "rotten" rating based on 59 reviews, with an average rating of 5.1510/10. The site's consensus reads: "Despite effective performances from Knightley and Miller, ''The Edge of Love'' lacks a coherent narrative".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Edge of Love |url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/edge_of_love/ |website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]] |date=14 July 2009 |access-date=303 SeptemberMarch 2022 2017|languagearchive-date=en27 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121127154316/http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/edge_of_love/ |url-status=live }}</ref> As[[Metacritic]], ofwhich 25uses Augusta 2008weighted average score, gave the moviefilm review39 aggregatorout [[Metacritic]],of awarded100 thebased filmon areviews scorefrom of13 39critics, denotingindicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |title=The Edge of Love |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-edge-of-love |website=Metacritic |access-date=3022 SeptemberMarch 2022 |archive-date=31 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211031011054/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-edge-of-love |url-status=live 2017}}</ref>

In ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', Leslie Felperin commented: "While the period drama has several redeeming features, tonally it's all over the map, veering between artsy stylization and hum-drum, sometimes almost twee melodrama."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Felperin|first1=Leslie|title=The Edge of Love|url=https://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/the-edge-of-love-1200508944/|website=Variety|access-date=30 September 2017|date=18 June 2008|archive-date=1 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171001074909/http://variety.com/2008/film/markets-festivals/the-edge-of-love-1200508944/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Mark Kermode]] described the film as "inert" and said that the script was "flawed but not without some form of admirable merit".<ref>{{cite webAV media |title=Mark Kermode reviews The Edge of Love|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRIFXrlEbEI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/wRIFXrlEbEI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|website=YouTube|access-date=30 September 2017|language=en|date=20 June 2008}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

''[[The Independent]]'' felt that "Maybury's stylisation makes the film more interesting than it would have been if directed by your average British journeyman, but it finally adds up to earnest heritage romance."<ref>{{cite web|last1=Romney|first1=Jonatahn|title=The Edge of Love (15)|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/film-reviews/the-edge-of-love-15-851886.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220618/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/film-and-tv/film-reviews/the-edge-of-love-15-851886.html |archive-date=18 June 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|website=The Independent|access-date=30 September 2017|date=22 June 2008}}</ref> In ''[[The Guardian]]'', reviewer Phillip[[Philip French]] said, "This is a fascinating story, its chronology somewhat muddled and its dramatic thrust rather obscure."<ref name=":0" />

Sienna Miller received a nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the [[British Independent Film Awards 2008|2008 British Independent Film Awards]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Hunger dominates nominations for British Independent Film Awards|url=http://metro.co.uk/2008/10/28/hunger-dominates-nominations-for-british-independent-film-awards-78627/|access-date=2 December 2017|work=Metro|date=28 October 2008|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201132037/http://metro.co.uk/2008/10/28/hunger-dominates-nominations-for-british-independent-film-awards-78627/|url-status=live}}</ref>

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Jurek |first=Thom |url={{AllmusicAllMusic|class=album |id=r1390912/review |pure_url=yes}} |title=The Edge of Love (Music from the Motion Picture) – Angelo Badalamenti : Songs, Reviews |publisher=AllMusic |date=16 June 2008 |access-date=27 June 2012}}</ref>

The composer performed the soundtrack live with SiouxSiouxsie and [[Beth Rowley]] at the [[World Soundtrack Awards]] in [[Ghent]] in October 2008.<ref>{{Citation|last=Siouxsiepedia|title=Careless Love - Siouxsie Sioux - World Soundtrack Awards on 18-10-08 (Erasercuts)|date=2012-12-15|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SyCOpFUc9YA |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/SyCOpFUc9YA |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|access-date=2018-03-24}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

===; Track listing===

# "Careless Talk" (vocals by [[Beth Rowley]])

# "Careless Love" (vocals by [[Siouxsie Sioux]])

[[Category:2000s2008 biographical drama films]]

[[Category:2000s English-language films]]

[[Category:FemaleFilms bisexualityabout infemale filmbisexuality]]