Review: Endings, Beginnings

PLOT: After leaving a seemingly fine relationship, a woman decides to start her life over again. However, things get complicated when she  finds herself involved with a pair of best friends.

REVIEW: There’s oftentimes a commonality in romantic features. Generally it involves a protagonist who somehow seems to be attracted to jerks, and yet their own flaws aren’t explored in any serious way. This is not the case with ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS. This complex tale revolves around an early thirty-something woman trying to figure out what to do with her life after ending a pretty decent relationship. Why does she end it? That’s part of her problem. She doesn’t really know, and yet she continually questions the life that she once led. With a far from simplistic leading character, Shailene Woodley gives us an all too real woman unsure of what future she wants, nor does she have any idea how she should get there. 

Shailene Woodley is Daphne, a bright yet uncertain woman who has just ended what appeared to be the perfect relationship. Hoping to figure out what to do with her life and attempting to find work, she decides to go back and live in her sister Billie’s (Lindsay Sloane) guesthouse. Once there, she meets a couple of guys at a party, and the two gentlemen happen to be best friends. Even though she’s not looking to jump into another romantic encounter, Daphne finds herself intrigued by both Frank (Sebastian Stan) and Jack (Jamie Dornan), and they express the same feelings for her. As the she opens herself up to getting closer to each man, complications arise and she must maneuver through her desires for both, and the history that she left behind.

Beautifully directed by Drake Doremus – with a screenplay by Doremus and Jardine Libaire – this is a compelling and intimate portrait of a modern romance. Yet instead of making it a simple tale of two people who may end up together in the end, he has fashioned a problematic love triangle that feels surprisingly honest. This is not a polished and obvious story where it’s clear what the girl should do. No, this is something that is far more truthful, and perhaps even a bit frustrating. However, real relationships aren’t always easy, and of course sometimes filled with heartache and pain. Thankfully, this intelligent feature isn’t afraid of presenting these characters as flawed and layered instead of basic sentimental stereotypes.

While both Doremus and Libaire have written a terrific leading role, it’s impossible to not give a huge amount of credit to Woodley. Even while she was entertaining fans in YA movie adaptations like DIVERGENT, she continually challenged herself with terrific projects like THE SPECTACULAR NOW and WHITE BIRD IN A BLIZZARD. Here, she fearlessly takes viewers with her for an unapologetic and ultimately very candid performance. Perhaps Daphne doesn’t always make the best choices, but it’s likely that what she deals with here will resonate with many who have every been involved in complicated and maybe even destructive affairs of the heart. It also helps that she has terrific chemistry with both Sebastian Stan and Jamie Dornan.

As for the rest of the cast, it’s very nice to see a different side of both Stan and Dornan. Much like Daphne, neither are perfect, and they are struggling with how their friendship will survive as they get closer to her. Both actors present their roles with a surprising vulnerability, and it’s terrific to see the two work as well as they do with Woodley. The film also features Matthew Gray Gubler in a smaller role as the one she left behind. Interestingly, when we do see both Daphne and Gubler’s Adrian together, it appears to be a very happy and healthy relationship which makes her decisions all the more curious. The film also features Kyra Sedgwick as a friend trying to help Daphne get on her feet, and the actress adds a bit of heart in a small but memorable performance.

ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS is an honest look at how challenging starting over can be. It may not be for everybody, and there are a couple of moments where it’s a bit of a slow moving experience. However, there is so much to admire that it's an easy recommendation for those looking for a not so typical romantic feature. And then there is Woodley. The actress continues to impress and her work here is genuine and incredibly compelling. Drake Doremus has made a moving story, one that is heartfelt, insightful and sometimes a little upsetting – especially considering the choices these characters make. Partly because of that, this is a very satisfying and thought provoking feature well worth seeking out.

ENDINGS, BEGINNINGS will be available on Digital April 17th, and on Demand May 1st.