The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby
Written and directed by Ned Benson, “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” (“Them” version) is a truly touching, thought provoking, and well acted movie that gives a “real life” glimpse of life, love, and loss.
We first meet Eleanor (Jessica Chastain) and Conor (James McAvoy) in the throws of new, light hearted love and laughter. However, we quickly move to the attempted “disappearance” as Eleanor tries to commit suicide in an effort to escape life as she now knows it after tragedy comes into their lives.
With her attempt unsuccessful, we go on to witness the journey of how grief and loss affect and manifest in women and men so differently and how this creates the inability to communicate and comfort one another, despite having gone through the same tragedy “together.” Conor so desperately wants things to get “back to normal”, while Eleanor cannot accept the terms of the “new normal” without her child, even though they do both love each other very much.
Though she tries to “disappear” several times, through suicide, moving home, or jetting off to Paris in the ambiguous ending, Eleanor keeps reappearing and coming back to Conor.
“The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” has several powerful moments throughout, and while it’s a little bit longer than the average movie, it’s very moving and keeps the viewer engaged, wanting to know more about the lives and stories of the characters. Oh and yes, she was named after the famous Beatles song.
8 out of 10 stars
