Review: Celeste & Jesse Forever

Films
December 7, 2012
  • Rating: ★★★☆☆

Celeste & Jesse Forever opens with one of those cutesy “couple bonding” montages familiar to anyone with the constitution to regularly sit through romantic comedies. But ha! It’s not what you think! They are separated!

High flyer Celeste and underachiever Jesse are one of those hideous “in-jokey” couples any sensible person would cross motorways to avoid, and no divorce is going to get in the way of that. Of course, as Abba taught us, breaking up is never easy, and each inevitably struggles to move on.

What could have been a twee rom-com with indie pretensions becomes rather moving as life continues to whistle past the pair, although much of the good work is undone by the interminable running time.

First published in City A.M.