Canada, 2002
Score: **
Director: Randall Cole

19 MONTHS is the average time a couple stays together. So, to ease the jealousy and loneliness accompanying the inevitable, couple Rob (Benjamin Ratner) and Melanie (Angela Vint) decide to stay together and help each other in the break-up after the expiry date.  They even hire a documentary filmmaker (Scott McLaren) to help show the world this novel process.

The art of breaking-up and hunting new partners have just been dealt with by Hollywood films like the currently playing BREAKIN’ ALL THE RULES.  Even the science of love making has also been looked into, in the film DOPAMINE (the name of chemical released when a couple makes love).  But Canadian film delves more successfully in this field.  The past 2 years saw LAST WEDDING and DIRTY – both directed by Bruce Sweeney and starring Ratner.

Benjamin Ratner performs his role with equal enthusiasm and spirit.  Ratner is an actor who can spew out logical sentences the speed of sound.  It is appropriate then that he fills the role of someone who can win any argument though he might be in the wrong.  No wonder Melanie is afraid that her new boyfriend, Glen (Marqus Bobesich) will never survive Rob’s line of questioning.  Angela Vint matches Ratner’s performance with a more sympathetic portrayal of Melanie.  Her dramatic crying scene after Rob steals her paintings is moving.

The script calls for some genuine desperate moments for Rob, who, at one point decides to end his loneliness by dating ugly girls.  His attempt to get the taller and odd neighbour, Lisa (Carolyn Taylor) to bed after a disastrous first date is particularly hilarious.  Cole makes Rob the fall guy while Melanie the stronger and more rational partner – but only because she has found someone else first.  The idea of the documentary filmmaker following the couple around works well.  When Rob gets really depressed and pushes everyone away to spend a weekend by himself, the microphone secretly placed at Rob’s apartment captures effectively his breakdown into tears from outside the window.

At times, Cole’s film gets too smug and knowing for its own good.  When Rob’s dad (Chuck Shamata) dismisses his son’s actions as childish and cuts off his allowance, the voiceover immediately fosters the father’s lack of concern instead of letting the viewer make his own decision.  Cole often guides the couple towards the end of an argument or situation instead of letting it be left open for more thoughtfulness.

19 MONTHS is a project initiated from its writing phase right through its final production and marketing stages by the Canadian Feature Film Project - very much like what the Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute launches for innovative talent.  19 MONTHS is a worthy small budget first effort that would not otherwise be made.  Completed in 2002, it still took 2 years for it to reach the local Toronto screen, resulting in the film being a little dated.  (There is a reference to Rob at the end of the film, taking a Business Operations diploma at DeVry, though DeVry has been bought out of Toronto early last year).  Many will dismiss 19 MONTHS as Canadian fare neither worth the effort nor time – but I would say to these people to give budding talents a chance!  19 MONTHS is entertaining in its own way, diligently made and better than other expensive rubbish like VAN HELSING and BREAKIN’ ALL THE RULES.

Review by Gilbert Seah.