By the Sea (2015)

Film Overview
"By the Sea" is a 2015 American romantic drama film produced and directed by Angelina Jolie, who stars together with her then-husband, Brad Pitt. Embed in France during the mid-1970s, the story focuses on a married couple either fighting or ignoring each other. It combines elements of love, loss, and complicated relationships while wielding spectacular cinematography.

Plot Summary
In "By the Sea", Pitt and Jolie play Roland and Vanessa respectively, an American couple who take a holiday to a sea-side inn in France in an attempt to conserve their falling apart marriage. Pitt is a having a hard time author coming to grips with author's block, seeking inspiration, while Jolie represents a previous dancer battling depression and drug dependency.

Their relationship is marked by consistent stress and quarrels blended with durations of silence and detachment. To break the dullness, Roland regularly checks out a regional bar where he befriends Michel, a Frenchman, and gains insight into what is wrong with his relationship. Vanessa, on the other hand, invests her time in their space, occasionally interacting with a young, newlywed couple next door, Francois and Lea.

Themes and Symbolism
The film's central theme is about the couple's private and relational struggles. It examines their sorrow over a shared trauma, unhealthy coping mechanisms, and differing reaction towards their despair - Roland tries to drown his griefs in alcohol while Vanessa withdraws, coming down even more into depression. The sea, which is a continuous existence throughout the film, represents their isolation and unhappiness along with the huge psychological range between them.

Vanessa starts to voyeuristically watch the newlywed couple next door through a hole in the wall, envying the enthusiasm they share, something that her marital relationship does not have. As Roland discovers Vanessa's secret pastime, instead of triggering further tension, it ironically triggers a real, real interaction between them.

Ending
In the end, it is revealed that Vanessa can not conceive, a source of deep grief and conflict in their relationship. The climax shifts drastically as Vanessa proposes that they embrace Francois and Lea's child (as Lea is pregnant), disconcerting Roland and leading to a climactic row.

Nevertheless, it's considerable that rather of breaking down further, this dispute prompts a healing process for the couple. By the film's conclusion, Roland and Vanessa reconcile, both understood that the other still enjoyed them despite whatever that had happened. The movie ends with them leaving the seaside town more powerful than when they had arrived, representing that their relationship has taken a turn for the better.

Vital Reception
"By the Sea" was a totally emotional movie that showcased Jolie and Pitt's strong acting capabilities. However, the film divided critics, with some applauding the film's expedition of complicated themes, melancholic tone, and evocative cinematography. Conversely, others found the movie too contemplative, slow-paced, and doing not have in story development.

Despite blended evaluations, "By the Sea" stays a deeply individual and profound exploration of love, loss, and social relationships, provided with utmost level of sensitivity and emotive visuals.

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