Sundance 2020: THE KILLING OF TWO LOVERS
A film that kicks off with their tortured male protagonist standing pointing a gun at his estranged wife’s head while she’s asleep (next to her new boyfriend) may not be the most qualified film to explore toxic masculinity. But that’s how The Killing of Two Lovers does indeed begin, with David (Clayne Crawford) thankfully failing to follow through, partly because he hears his children in the home he no longer shares with Nikki (Sepideh Moafi), his wife. If we somehow had any doubts about where this could still go, the score clears them away via an unnerving combination of the Jaws theme and Trent Reznor, offering us a disquieting glimpse into an unraveling mind ripe for exploration. If only that casual perusal had become a thorough character study.
The Killing of Two Lovers is not only told solely from David’s perspective, the movie takes pains to show us he’s totally trying to be a good guy despite the circumstances, which include the Western town whose smallness is matched by a bleakness which includes constantly gray skies. He’s caring for the elderly father he’s moved back in with, refuses to villainize his wife, respects her intelligence, and is completely behind her going back to law school. His true tragic flaw, the movie all but moans, is his passivity. If he forgets, the various women in his life are there to remind him, whether it’s his mother-in-law, who says that a lasting marriage requires respect, or his teenage daughter, who informs him that he should fight for his family.
The Killing of Two Lovers is obviously, ineptly attempting to depict a man navigating the various extremes of modern manhood, from the violent to the accommodating, but repression is David’s real problem, and Nikki is the one who will end up paying the ultimate price if David’s demons overtake him. The title alone is indicative of just how casually it takes her life, viewing her as little more than a potential casualty of David’s journey to some form of stability, whether through violence or reconciliation. It would’ve been far more interesting if the film had been from Nikki’s perspective as a woman born into a time and place with few options, one that twisted the men around her and did its damnedest to keep her in the box it deemed fit for her. As it is, she’s stuck in another wasted opportunity.
The Killing of Two Lovers premiered at Sundance Film Festival 2020.
Does content like this matter to you?
Become a Member and support film journalism. Unlock access to all of Film Inquiry`s great articles. Join a community of like-minded readers who are passionate about cinema - get access to our private members Network, give back to independent filmmakers, and more.
