The World to Come
In 1856, two women forge a close connection despite their isolation on the American frontier.
- Released: 2021-02-12
- Runtime: 105 minutes
- Genre: Drama, Romance, Western
- Stars: Katherine Waterston, Casey Affleck, Vanessa Kirby, Christopher Abbott, Kim Ciobanu, Daniel Blumberg, Andreea Vasile, James Longshore
- Director: Mona Fastvold
Comments
- pearlywurly - 26 November 2023
Self-serving self-important story
This movie is not about the forbidden love between two women in 1850s America. It is about two women cheating on and alienating their husbands, committing adultery, and breaking the vows of marriage. Is it justified just because the two women discovered they are lesbians and therefore should be allowed to love whomever they want? At least one of the husbands was devoted and hardworking. Did he deserve to have a wife that emotionally and physically rejects him?
The visuals and acting were good. Sadly they were wasted on a self-important story, and sadly I've wasted 2 hours of my time watching it. - summersun-93200 - 6 September 2022
Stars deducted for the tropes
Rating this film is challenging. As a queer person, I've seen so many unnecessary deaths of queer characters in otherwise excellent films, and I think we'd quite like to see some happy endings for a change. Then again, since the writers and director of the film all appear to be straight, maybe they thought a romantic drama with an unhappy ending was refreshing in between all the happily ever afters the straight population is provided with, left and right. I assume bury your gays is a trope only "the gays" understand.
That being said, I loved the subtle poetic way the story of the love between these two women unfolds. This is a harsh, cold environment, but in eachother Abigail and Tallie find the beauty, kindness and comfort they were missing. Their growing love is evident in their gazes, smiles and touches, and the chemistry is palpable. Why the director chose to hide the passionate affair in hair stroking and a few embraces, only to reveal just how corporal their love was in a blink or you'll miss it montage after Tallie was already dead, is a conundrum. After the numerous explicit scenes of straight sex in most romantic films I've watched, that was unfortunate - especially when we did get to see a scene between Abigail and her husband. But oh well.
I gave the 8 stars, but how about the next beautiful poetic drama with lesbians, just let them live and find happiness despite the hardships. There are numerous excellent novels to find inspiration from, some written by actual queer women.
