45 Years

This low-key drama paints an elegant, deeply affecting portrait of a marriage in crisis. Based on a short story by David Constantine, it follows Kate (Charlotte Rampling) and Geoff (Tom Courtenay), a retired couple who are one week away from their 45th wedding anniversary. As the big party approaches, Geoff discovers that the Swiss authorities have discovered the body of his previous girlfriend, Katya, who fell to her death while hiking 50 years previously. Kate tries to be supportive, but she is gradually consumed by doubt and resentment, as a series of revelations alter her perception of Geoff. This situation gives rise to a number of compelling sequences, all of which are beautifully directed and wonderfully acted, with Rampling and Courtenay proving utterly convincing as two people who have been together for a long time. Indeed, both deliver exquisite performances, helping to create a naturalistic, insightful, heartbreaking film that deserves to be celebrated.