I wish the waves will take me away and maybe I might find the meaning to the movie.

Through out my years reviewing movies on this site, I always avoid using words like "pretentious" or "too arty", as I normally don't think that. To me, if a film what's to tell it's story in a unique way with the power of art and visuals that's done well, then I don't think it's pretentious or too arty. Everyone has different taste and I know it's kind of beating a dead horse right now since I keep bringing that up, but I do that just to keep everyone in mind that my opinion and what I have to say for movies is just me. But today might change, as I watched a movie that I can look at and call it pretentious. 'By The Sea' was an underwhelming arty mess that has a hidden message that's still unclear. The movie demands to be analysis.

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt deliver decent performances and there were a few good shots that looked nice. But everything else felt force and while watching it I was kind of annoyed, because it has no weight to it when it came to the story and the character's deep motivation that came off sloppy. Jolie has a vision, but the must crushing and difficult thing is to bring that vision to the big screen. It isn't easy for some directors, because sometimes they can pull it off and sometimes don't; Jolie sadly falls into the "don't".

Overall rating: 'By the Sea' was a pretentious and underwhelming movie with a muddled story that tries so hard to have a meaning.

**A vacation, an inspiration for the writing and a complete makeover.**

The fourth directional venture for Angelina Jolie, she also wrote it and her real life husband, Brad Pitt starred the screenspace with her in the lead character. This is a tale of a struggling writer who goes to a French seaside resort for an inspiration to write a new material. He takes his wife along and in the peaceful environment, seems they're doing well, until a newly married couple arrive for their honeymoon in their next door. All the complication surface and the old secrets are revealed, so that's how the film sets up and ends.

I don't know what's with Jolie lately, she's not doing many films as she was before. Maybe her parenting commitment took over her acting career. Good to see her back, but seeing this film and its story, I feel she's really suffering that I don't know what it is. Some day in the near future if someone makes a film about her, that will reveal this time of her life. Anyway, they both looked great on the screen, but very sad they are parting away.

This is not some awesome story with twist and turns, just a straightforward drama, mostly the midlife crises in a married life. So here the performances were top notch, other than that is the beautiful locations. It's a two hour long film, not everybody feel comfortable with that, because the pace was very slow and the story is not that interesting. Particularly this film is not for the youngsters, but that does not mean all the grown-up would enjoy it either. Only some people find it better and for me this is an okay film.

_6/10_