The Killing of Two Lovers ★★★½
KEEP an eye out for Robert Machoian.
He’s an American independent film-maker who has written directed, produced and edited three features to date, all of which have been well-reviewed but little-seen.
The exception is his third film, 2021’s The Killing of Two Lovers, which you can now see at home via a couple of the main streaming services.
It’s a brooding, contemplative and quietly suspenseful story of a small-town relationship that has fallen apart and teetering on the edge of violence.
The jarring opening sequence sets the tone for a film that keeps the audience on its toes, expecting to be taken down one narrative path only to verge down another.
David is a father of four in a small Utah town who is currently separated from his wife Nikki. Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on how you look at it, Nikki and the children are living in the family home while David has moved in with his sick, widowed father just down the same street.
This makes life even more uncomfortable for all the family, particularly David who is also having to deal with Nikki starting a relationship with one of her co-workers.
While their boys are young and taking things mostly in their stride, teenage daughter Jess is angry and confused, wanting her father to fight harder to keep Nikki and the family together.
There is a wonderful scene that sums up the film when David picks Nikki up for their ‘date night’. At the last minute Nikki gives David an excuse not to go.
They are sitting in his car across the road when they see her boyfriend arrive at the house and watch a confrontation play out between him and their daughter. All the feelings that bore into their characters and relationship are on display.
Clayne Crawford and Sepideh Moafi are unknown names to me but have done a lot of television, especially Crawford. Both are exceptionally natural and authentic in the lead roles.
It’s a simple film with moments of extended, reflective silence that won’t keep everybody in its grasp but will reward those who stick with it.