The Edge of Love

Dylan Thomas might have been a great poet, but The Edge of Love suggests he was an awful person, surrounded by equally unpleasant people. Which may be true, but it also makes for a story that isn't much fun to watch, especially in a film sporting oodles of pretension. Set in the 1940s, filmmaker John Maybury's The Edge of Love centers on a troubled quartet: Thomas (Matthew Rhys), his high-strung wife Caitlin (Sienna Miller), Dylan's old girlfriend Vera (Keira Knightley), and a British officer named William (Cillian Murphy), who marries Vera before being mustered off to Greece. While William is away, Vera moves into a Welsh cottage next to Dylan and Caitlin, becoming ever more involved in their often anguished marriage until the return of an emotionally shattered William leads to a violent outburst that results in a courtroom trial during which Thomas' character is tested and found wanting. None of the actors appear comfortable in their roles (with Knightley particularly weak), while the film's visual style alternates oddly between scenes that are prosaic and arty. Ultimately, The Edge of Love comes across as just another portrait of insufferable intellectual types. Not recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by director John Maybury and costar Matthew Rhys, a 10-minute “Looking Over The Edge of Love” behind-the-scenes featurette, a four-minute gag reel, and trailers. Bottom line: a decent extras package for a disappointing film.] (F. Swietek)