As somebody who had not heard any of this before, it became a curious phenomenon to sit and watch a film and slowly have the realities begin to click into place.

While it doesn't offer any answers, it both thrills and makes you think.

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

I found this one on Netflix streaming movies, I wanted to see it because it is an early Christian Bale movie. He was probably 21 during filming, and Emily Watson who plays his wife was probably 28. They actually play a couple in their early 30s. It is a smart movie, basically a character study to see what happens when an old friend shows up and tries to undo everything.The movie starts in 1977 which is their present time, Christian Bale is Chris with a wife, a daughter, a house with a vegetable garden, and a train ride to his work in the city. He lives in an area generally known as Metroland. Just about exactly all the things that 14 years earlier he and his friend Toni said they would never be interested in.His wife is Emily Watson as Marion . His friend that shows up is Lee Ross as Toni, who is appalled that Chris has, in his words "sold out", abandoning the carefree lifestyle both of them said they wanted. So much of the story is Toni working hard to get Chris to be unfaithful to his wife and family and get carefree again. I found myself truly detesting Toni, and that means Ross did a fine job with that role.Much of the middle of the movie is a long flashback to 10 to 12 years earlier, when Chris, fluent in French, lived in Paris as a photographer, only wanting to make art. But he never really sold anything. It was there he met pretty French Elsa Zylberstein as Annick, and for a while they had a great love affair. But when Chris told her he had met Marion, Annick just picked up and left, even though his relationship with Marion was just friendly. Naturally he and Marion got married, moved back to England just outside of London, and had a happy if sometimes boring life.The story was mostly Chris examining his own life, the doubts instilled by Toni, and finally coming to the realization that he liked his life, he didn't want to get out of it, and he sent Toni on his way without him.

Based on a novel by Julia Barnes. A somewhat comedic drama with strong sexuality. Chris(Christian Bale)and Toni(Lee Ross)are two chums that grew up outside London and shared an aversion to Metroland. Is Metroland a state of mind; or does it mean married with family in the suburbs? They part for ten years...Chris going to Paris and falling in love with a beautiful Frenchwoman, Annick(Elsa Zylberstein). After the affair, Chris has taken back to London another acquaintance, Marion(Emily Watson). When Toni comes for a visit, he finds Chris and Marion married and living in the suburbs. The old friends begin comparing and re-evaluating each others life styles. Is Metroland really just a state of mind after-all? Also appearing are Amanda Ryan, Jonathan Aris and Lucy Speed. I was most impressed with the stunning Zylberstein and her very arousing sex scenes. A very fluid soundtrack features music by Franciose Hardy, Hot Chocolate, Elvis Costello and Dire Straits.

I agree with all the posts about what this movie was about -- a man evaluating his present life. But what made this film so good to me was the fantastic acting by Christian Bale and Emily Watson who portrayed their characters so authentically. As a 30 yo single woman myself, the relationships portrayed in this movie came off in a genuine way. What it's like to be married for nearly 10 years and how to preserve the love in the relationship and yet deal w/ the tensions and problems from it. All of this was portrayed subtly, sensitively, and with humour at many times throughout this movie in a natural and unforced way. I credit this to Christian Bale and Emily Watson's acting abilities and the Director's talent. To me, underlying the mid-life crisis of one man in this movie is the theme of "relationship" and how he gets his life from them. Whether it's with his wife, girlfriend or best friend from childhood. I really thought everything about this moview was excellent: script, acting, directing, scenes. More than that, it captured the subtle nuances and emotions shared between people which wasn't stated in words but one "felt" as a viewer that one knew what that look meant or the silent treatment was for. It's now my favorite top 10 movies in my book.

I liked this movie. Its stars, Christian Bales and Emily Watson, shine with a refreshing innocence.It is one of those pictures where you can regret the time wasted watching it, or reflect on what it means to settle for the suburban lifestyle with its daily commutes to the city, the crying baby in the middle of the night, the sometimes jaded sex. All the time knowing it will continue until you retire.And to look back at the freedom of the young years in Paris with "sex in the afternoon" and not much money. Toni, played by Lee Ross, looking dissolute and hedonistic, blows back into the life of Christian Bales ten years later and tries to make him take the road less travelled by going around the world and living free and easy with no ties.There are then a series of many flashbacks to the carefree years. I liked the way Chris takes the time to evaluate his current life. It is not all about duty and responsibility but choices too and there is a bit of a zinger in the last few scenes. 7 out of 10. A thoughtful adaptation of the novel.