Product Description
Wedding photographer Theo (Chris Messina) and his budding musician fiancée Nat (Rashida Jones) are a young couple living a comfortable life in Brooklyn. Thoroughly bored with his day job and increasingly anxious about his upcoming wedding, Theo embarks upon a risky and adventurous side project: he's hired by clients to clandestinely snap voyeuristic photos as they go about their days. Things go smoothly until a sexy new customer's (Meital Dohan) very public exhibitionism sparks an obsession in Theo. As he captures her day and night, the woman's mysterious trysts and illicit behavior send him reeling, forcing him to confront uncomfortable truths about his sex life and his relationship at home.
.com
A voyeuristic, extremely earnest look at The Way We Are Now, Monogamy is an insightful take on modern relationships that occasionally succumbs to pretension. Director-cowriter Dana Adam Shapiro's film follows a frustrated wedding photographer (Chris Messina) who runs a side business where people pay to be covertly spied on, catching them unawares during their daily routines. After recording an extremely private moment with a mysterious blond woman, the photographer becomes quickly obsessed with her, endangering his already precarious relationship with his fiancée (a very good Rashida Jones). Shapiro, who previously codirected the exceptional documentary Murderball, proves to be exceptional at transferring over the nonfiction feel, creating a living, breathing Brooklyn chock full of interesting bit players. Unfortunately, the filmmaker proves less successful when dealing with his main story, with a protagonist whose whiny self-absorption makes him increasingly hard to sympathize with. (Those with hipster aversions should be aware that Pabst Blue Ribbon does make an appearance.) That said, the idea of technology on couples is certainly a provocative one, which should have most viewers wincing in recognition at various points. (The DVD supplements include a fascinating snippet of interviews from the filmmaker's book on the same subject, due out in 2012.) Characterization stumbles aside, Shapiro's insights make for a frustrating, rewarding film that works best when it's between plot points and just observing how people interact. --Andrew Wright
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Review
A tight domestic thriller about love going out the rear window. --SpinJones' performance, a masterpiece of ease, is an natural, organic transformation. --Elle
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Reviews
3.0
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J**U
GET THIS FILM A NEW DIRECTOR
Chris Mesina and Rashida Jones are such fine up and coming actors. However, they are never going to make it to greatness if they keep doing dramatic crap like this. This film is written and directed by the same person which has not turned out well. To it's credit there is a surprise ending but it is too little too late . This movie is dull, dull, dull too damn dull. Practice your multiplication tables, try to name all the state capitals in America or memories the Avenues from 5th to the East River Drive in New York City any one will be more entertaining than this movie!
R**O
Five Stars
great work by Chris Messina. He really nails this one! He is an amazing actor very underrated.
R**L
If you can rent it for a low figure - this is a 'date movie'.
Just a so-so movie with movie-of-the-week acting. The featured actors are appealing but the script is wooden. Overall a 'chick flick' would be a good description.
S**N
One Star
A total waste of time and money. Not interesting or sexy.
K**K
Marriage Jitters and Obsession
I bought this DVD at a local shop for no real good reason, except I like indie films. Although I didn't believe it was a total failure, it wasn't a great movie, either.Theo is a photographer (not pro, but does it as a hobby) living in Brooklyn with his fiancee, Nat (unsure of her occupation, but she plays the guitar). They are soon-to-be-married. While Theo is doing wedding snapshots, he is asked by an anonymous woman, via e-mail, to voyeuristically photograph her. Theo becomes obsessed with this woman, and, in the meanwhile, he begins to distance himself from his soon-to-be-wife. As his relationship falls apart, he begins to find out who this anonymous woman is. No more story from me...I was not expecting a huge blockbuster, well-made film classic when I bought this DVD. It is not that badly acted, and the cinematography was okay (a bit dark, but that is for effect). My problems came from certain plots and scenes: 1) The "anonymous woman" is nearly Hitchcockian in element, by not execution. Who she is is predictable; 2) The entire hospital scene. My wife is a physician, so she was laughing at the lack of intelligence in the scenes. For instance, Nat supposedly has a really bad infection (NO, not an STD!) and those who visit her are supposed to wear latex gloves. The gloves magically disappear in the scenes AND both she and Theo touch skin in other places like arms, faces, etc. Sloppy!; and 3) There is something phoney about the entire relationship between Nat and Theo that I cannot really understand. The relationship and oncoming marriage seems to be doomed from the first few scenes with them together. She seems to be understanding, but unwilling to compromise or communicate. Theo spends more time wanting freedom, but has it in so many ways and comes across as a "dufus." I may be missing something here, but their meshing doesn't seem quite real, but the other relationships that parallel their relationship show the problems and tribulations that all types of relationships face, none of which are reflected upon by either main character.Perhaps Theo is just getting "the jitters" from all of the talk and being a third party to all of the other relationships around him that he finds his own hum-drum existence dull. This is what makes the story interesting, but his character is passive when it comes to the other relationships, except the one he obsesses about (the "blonde").I did like the soundtrack and the independent filmmaking style, but thought the movie could be a little more original and less sloppy. I've seen much worse movies about relationships, and worse Hitchcock-inspired stories. I was not expecting much, and it was somewhat better than my expectations. Whether others want to see it, well, I question that they will totally like or enjoy it. It has its dark elements of obsession and questioning love, but other viewers will probably find the same problems as I did, making it more tedious.3 of 5 (it would deserve another 1/2 from me if it weren't for the hospital scenes). It does NOT have nudity or violence, but some sexual situations, language, and adult situations. The cover is like a book and there are some supplemental material on the disc, none of which changes my rating.
D**T
What's not to like? Well, the answer is...a lot.
Judge Bill Gibron, DVD Verdict--A movie like Monogamy is irritating for a lot of reasons. First, it follows the typical new age mantra that men are pampered pigs, prepared to piss away years of hard interpersonal work for a glimpse of panty and the promise of something scandalous. Theo may drone on and on about his love for Nat, but give him a mystery masturbator and all future nuptial bets are off. Even worse, he wants to drag his poor guitar-strumming gal along for a midlife crisis that's arriving 15 years too early. At this point, the movie starts to meander, inferring something more sinister with Theo's film stock femme fatale. Then it bogs down in more "do you love me" monologues. All the while, Shapiro shakes the lens like he's suffering from some kind of seizure, hoping the handheld dynamic will bring some fresh immediacy to the mix. It doesn't. While Messina and Jones are more than capable, this is an idea--and an approach--that constantly suffers by comparison. Monogamy wants to be Blue Valentine or Two Lovers. Truth is, it can barely stand on its own.As for the DVD specs, Oscilloscope does a decent job here. The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image is excellent--that is, when Shapiro settles down and lets us see what's going on. The colors are rich and vibrant, the exteriors balanced well with the much darker and more compact interiors. There is also a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix which allows for some decent atmospherics among the back channels. Since this is an incredibly talky film, the front speakers keep the conversations clear and easy to understand. By the way, there are songs here, and many of them will try your indie shoe-gazer patience, no matter the sonic presentation (there is also a 2.0 track available). Finally, added content consists of a music video, some deleted (and unnecessary) scenes, outtakes, and a trailer.It's never easy to switch genres, especially when your first foray was so well received and respected. Murderball took a standard story--someone overcoming a handicap to excel at their chosen field--and instilled it with a sense of wonder. Monogamy can't match that movie--narratively, emotionally, artistically. From its slow pace to lackluster payoff, it underwhelms and underachieves.Full review at dvdverdict.com
D**E
Love in the Time of Cameras
I saw "Monogamy" at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, where it won the award for Best New York Narrative. The story is suspenseful and very sexy, especially the voyeuristic exchanges between Theo and the mysterious girl he photographs; they let you see why he becomes so obsessed with her. Rashida Jones and Chris Messina both gave powerful performances, and their relationship was authentic and complex. The soundtrack is great, especially Jones' quiet acoustic songs which add to the film's intimate atmosphere.The director brings New York City to life in his film and paints a genuine portrait of a relationship in crisis, one that's alternately funny and tense.
A**R
3.5 stars
Bons interprètes et bien réalisé
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","image":["https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51rcc4xpVpL.jpg"],"offers":{"@type":"Offer","priceCurrency":"JPY","price":"5833.00","itemCondition":"https://schema.org/NewCondition","availability":"https://schema.org/InStock","shippingDetails":{"deliveryTime":{"@type":"ShippingDeliveryTime","minValue":7,"maxValue":7,"unitCode":"d"}}},"category":" Movies and Films","review":[{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"J***U"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on August 9, 2017","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n GET THIS FILM A NEW DIRECTOR\n \n","reviewBody":"Chris Mesina and Rashida Jones are such fine up and coming actors. However, they are never going to make it to greatness if they keep doing dramatic crap like this. This film is written and directed by the same person which has not turned out well. To it's credit there is a surprise ending but it is too little too late . This movie is dull, dull, dull too damn dull. Practice your multiplication tables, try to name all the state capitals in America or memories the Avenues from 5th to the East River Drive in New York City any one will be more entertaining than this movie!"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"R***O"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2015","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Five Stars\n \n","reviewBody":"great work by Chris Messina. He really nails this one! He is an amazing actor very underrated."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"R***L"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2014","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n If you can rent it for a low figure - this is a 'date movie'.\n \n","reviewBody":"Just a so-so movie with movie-of-the-week acting. The featured actors are appealing but the script is wooden. Overall a 'chick flick' would be a good description."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"1.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"S***N"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on May 8, 2016","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n One Star\n \n","reviewBody":"A total waste of time and money. Not interesting or sexy."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"3.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"K***K"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on June 22, 2012","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Marriage Jitters and Obsession\n \n","reviewBody":"I bought this DVD at a local shop for no real good reason, except I like indie films. Although I didn't believe it was a total failure, it wasn't a great movie, either.Theo is a photographer (not pro, but does it as a hobby) living in Brooklyn with his fiancee, Nat (unsure of her occupation, but she plays the guitar). They are soon-to-be-married. While Theo is doing wedding snapshots, he is asked by an anonymous woman, via e-mail, to voyeuristically photograph her. Theo becomes obsessed with this woman, and, in the meanwhile, he begins to distance himself from his soon-to-be-wife. As his relationship falls apart, he begins to find out who this anonymous woman is. No more story from me...I was not expecting a huge blockbuster, well-made film classic when I bought this DVD. It is not that badly acted, and the cinematography was okay (a bit dark, but that is for effect). My problems came from certain plots and scenes: 1) The \"anonymous woman\" is nearly Hitchcockian in element, by not execution. Who she is is predictable; 2) The entire hospital scene. My wife is a physician, so she was laughing at the lack of intelligence in the scenes. For instance, Nat supposedly has a really bad infection (NO, not an STD!) and those who visit her are supposed to wear latex gloves. The gloves magically disappear in the scenes AND both she and Theo touch skin in other places like arms, faces, etc. Sloppy!; and 3) There is something phoney about the entire relationship between Nat and Theo that I cannot really understand. The relationship and oncoming marriage seems to be doomed from the first few scenes with them together. She seems to be understanding, but unwilling to compromise or communicate. Theo spends more time wanting freedom, but has it in so many ways and comes across as a \"dufus.\" I may be missing something here, but their meshing doesn't seem quite real, but the other relationships that parallel their relationship show the problems and tribulations that all types of relationships face, none of which are reflected upon by either main character.Perhaps Theo is just getting \"the jitters\" from all of the talk and being a third party to all of the other relationships around him that he finds his own hum-drum existence dull. This is what makes the story interesting, but his character is passive when it comes to the other relationships, except the one he obsesses about (the \"blonde\").I did like the soundtrack and the independent filmmaking style, but thought the movie could be a little more original and less sloppy. I've seen much worse movies about relationships, and worse Hitchcock-inspired stories. I was not expecting much, and it was somewhat better than my expectations. Whether others want to see it, well, I question that they will totally like or enjoy it. It has its dark elements of obsession and questioning love, but other viewers will probably find the same problems as I did, making it more tedious.3 of 5 (it would deserve another 1/2 from me if it weren't for the hospital scenes). It does NOT have nudity or violence, but some sexual situations, language, and adult situations. The cover is like a book and there are some supplemental material on the disc, none of which changes my rating."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"2.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D***T"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2011","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n What's not to like? Well, the answer is...a lot.\n \n","reviewBody":"Judge Bill Gibron, DVD Verdict--A movie like Monogamy is irritating for a lot of reasons. First, it follows the typical new age mantra that men are pampered pigs, prepared to piss away years of hard interpersonal work for a glimpse of panty and the promise of something scandalous. Theo may drone on and on about his love for Nat, but give him a mystery masturbator and all future nuptial bets are off. Even worse, he wants to drag his poor guitar-strumming gal along for a midlife crisis that's arriving 15 years too early. At this point, the movie starts to meander, inferring something more sinister with Theo's film stock femme fatale. Then it bogs down in more \"do you love me\" monologues. All the while, Shapiro shakes the lens like he's suffering from some kind of seizure, hoping the handheld dynamic will bring some fresh immediacy to the mix. It doesn't. While Messina and Jones are more than capable, this is an idea--and an approach--that constantly suffers by comparison. Monogamy wants to be Blue Valentine or Two Lovers. Truth is, it can barely stand on its own.As for the DVD specs, Oscilloscope does a decent job here. The 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen image is excellent--that is, when Shapiro settles down and lets us see what's going on. The colors are rich and vibrant, the exteriors balanced well with the much darker and more compact interiors. There is also a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix which allows for some decent atmospherics among the back channels. Since this is an incredibly talky film, the front speakers keep the conversations clear and easy to understand. By the way, there are songs here, and many of them will try your indie shoe-gazer patience, no matter the sonic presentation (there is also a 2.0 track available). Finally, added content consists of a music video, some deleted (and unnecessary) scenes, outtakes, and a trailer.It's never easy to switch genres, especially when your first foray was so well received and respected. Murderball took a standard story--someone overcoming a handicap to excel at their chosen field--and instilled it with a sense of wonder. Monogamy can't match that movie--narratively, emotionally, artistically. From its slow pace to lackluster payoff, it underwhelms and underachieves.Full review at dvdverdict.com"},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"5.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"D***E"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in the United States on June 14, 2011","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n \n Love in the Time of Cameras\n \n","reviewBody":"I saw \"Monogamy\" at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, where it won the award for Best New York Narrative. The story is suspenseful and very sexy, especially the voyeuristic exchanges between Theo and the mysterious girl he photographs; they let you see why he becomes so obsessed with her. Rashida Jones and Chris Messina both gave powerful performances, and their relationship was authentic and complex. The soundtrack is great, especially Jones' quiet acoustic songs which add to the film's intimate atmosphere.The director brings New York City to life in his film and paints a genuine portrait of a relationship in crisis, one that's alternately funny and tense."},{"@type":"Review","reviewRating":{"@type":"Rating","ratingValue":"4.0"},"author":{"@type":"Person","name":"A***R"},"datePublished":"Reviewed in Canada on October 5, 2018","name":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n \n 3.5 stars\n \n \n","reviewBody":"Bons interprètes et bien réalisé"}],"aggregateRating":{"@type":"AggregateRating","ratingValue":3.125,"bestRating":5,"ratingCount":8}}
