THE LAST 5 YEARS
The Last 5 Years
2014 was a bad year for musicals. Into the Woods got lost in the weeds, Annie was better left orphaned and Clint Eastwood’s Jersey Boys should’ve been put out of its misery by all-American sniper Chris Kyle (perhaps while singing a Sondheim-ian off-key “USA! USA!” ballad). Yet there was one film that snuck onto the festival circuit last fall that proved not all musical adaptations were tone-deaf cashgrabs — and coincidentally, it starred Into the Woods’ own Anna Kendrick.
The Last 5 Years isn’t like most big-screen musicals, though. Owing more to the intimacy of Once or the underrated Begin Again, Richard LaGravenese’s adaptation of Jason Robert Brown’s off-Broadway show is sparse and lean, with only two characters singing in isolation from one another. If you’re looking for the ensemble numbers or medleys of Broadway, you have bought the wrong playbill.
Another stark departure from tradition: The Last 5 Years tells one of the more depressing relationship tales in recent memory, a downcast and at times stinging dissection of a romance gone
To make it clear: do not bring a first date to this film
bad, told from each partner’s skewed perspective. To make it clear: do not bring a first date to this film — even long-term couples might be better served if a marriage counsellor came along as a third wheel.
Still, that’s not to knock the production’s considerate charms, specifically Kendrick as aspiring actress Cathy who falls into quick dewy love with the improbably handsome Jonathan Franzen wannabe Jamie (Jeremy Jordan). The pair’s relationship is revealed in he said/she said (more accurately he sang/she sang more) reminiscences. Told in a somewhat confusing timeline (backwards for her, forwards for him), the narrative eventually paints a toxic portrait of love, ambition and jealousy. (Happy Valentine’s!)
Yes, that sounds depressing as hell, but it can also be remarkably fun, especially when Kendrick’s numbers come up. Having already proven her vocal chops in Pitch Perfect, Kendrick adds a sincere level of charm and depth to Cathy, which give her musical moments that extra level of emotional wallop. Jordan tries to live up to her startling, electric work, but he’s also saddled with a character who is more jackass than man.
Also not helping matters is LaGravenese’s strange camerawork, all odd angles and swooshing, twirling pans. Perhaps he was aiming to strip the material of its inherent theatricality, but turning it into a theme-park ride was not the solution.
In spite of all this, the film is an enchanting creation — a showcase for Kendrick’s rising star, but also a bold shot in the arm for the musical genre itself. Just keep Clint Eastwood away from it.
The Last 5 Years opens Feb. 13 in Toronto, Calgary and Edmonton, and on VOD.