“Everything might not be ok, but that’s ok. You’re exactly where you need to be.”
It’s a sentiment that’s exceptionally fitting right now, and a beautiful takeaway from Endings, Beginnings, the latest feature from director Drake Doremus. In these times of self-isolation and social distancing, I’m finding his films to be more therapeutic than ever. Although we may be watching from within our houses and apartments this Friday, when when the film is released on Amazon Prime (on-demand May 1st), we will still be connected through its message that: We’re allowed to give ourselves the room for personal exploration without judgment, and the vulnerability to admit our universal human desire: to love and be loved.
Daphne (Shailene Woodley) is fresh off a breakup with her long-term boyfriend (Matthew Gray Gubler) and currently calling her sister’s Los Angeles pool house home. After four years of struggling to find contentment in her relationship –”Searching for a yes, and never finding it” – the only commitment she is looking forward to having is the one with herself. Daphne romanticizes her future; full of travel plans, bold expressions, and wild adventures. But her intentions are tested when she meets Jack (Jamie Dornan) and Frank (Sebastian Stan), two men who light up Daphne in very different ways, and who also happen to be best friends. This unexpected and complicated love triangle forces Daphne to re-examine past traumas and dependencies and re-prioritize the future she had envisioned for herself.
Scrolling Instagram during personal moments of self-inflicted sappiness, I recently came across a saying that’s stuck with me, “The timing isn’t wrong, the person is.” In this case, Daphne finds compatibility and is attracted to two men, one providing passion and one stability. This sexual vs intellectual chemistry provokes an emotional crisis that Shailene Woodley portrays with incredible honesty. Her performance is raw, selfish, and, admittedly, relatable. Co-stars Jamie Dornan and Sebastian Stan meet her level of artistry, creating scenes that cut right to the heart.
Endings, Beginnings is made up of an abundance of subtext and that is partly fueled by the film’s soundtrack and Frank’s “Music To Suffer To” Spotify playlist. Moody tracks from Beach House, Hayden Thorpe, Lawrence Rothman, and more act as musical poetry that embellishes every scene. Additional subtext and emotional catharsis swirl throughout the film and let the audience fill in the blanks with occurrences from their own lives. Blue-toned cinematography by Marianne Bakke and imaginative editing by Garret Price also gives the film its dream-like quality.
Triangles have sharp edges, and when it comes to love, someone’s bound to get hurt. Endings, Beginnings is a reminder that even with earnest intentions, life doesn’t always go according to plan. The sooner we are able to accept this reality with love and grace, the happier and more fulfilled our crazy, chaotic, and beautiful lives will be.
Distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films. 110 minutes. Releasing on digital April 17 and on-demand May 1.
