Film Review: The Killing Of Two Lovers

The Killing Of Two Lovers makes a strong impression with its opening scene. A man, looking hurt and betrayed, looks down at a sleeping couple, and aims a revolver. He ultimately doesn’t do anything, and continues about his day. We soon find out this is David (Clayne Crawford), and the woman in the bed was his wife, Niki (Sepideh Moafi). They have separated, seemingly under amicable circumstances, trying to figure out what they should do. Meanwhile, David still spends time with his kids, a teenage daughter, Jess (Avery Pizzuto), and three young boys, but he internally struggles in coping with a potentially dead marriage.

On the surface, David seems alright. He gets along with Niki, and when confronted by Jess about her mother’s affair, he comes to Niki’s defense, saying they were alright with seeing other people during this break. The man that Niki has been seeing is Derek (Chris Coy), and none of the kids seem to be a fan, enjoying David’s company more, even if Niki doesn’t appear to see much of a future with him. Still, he plays things cool, while lashing out on his lonesome, often taking out his rage on one of those punching bags in the shape of a man.

The film comes from writer/director, Robert Machoian. I hadn’t seen any of his prior work, but considering the craft put into this film, he’s got a strong voice. It’s mostly shot in a tight, 4:3 aspect ratio, and filled with the muted, Earthy colors of its rural, small town backdrop. It sells the desolation of the environment, which in turn mirrors David’s headspace. The sound design is specially worthy of note. Lacking a score, what we often hear instead is this heavy, industrial soundscape, as if a microphone was left inside a busted car engine.

The performances from its cast is strong across the board, grounding the otherwise atmospheric indulgences in a sense of realism. The writing is really sharp, and in some cases, more expressive and sometimes wittier than one would initially expect given the kind of characters we’re dealing with, but it’s a testament to the actors on selling it. Clayne Crawford does most of the heavy lifting, and he’s fantastic as this guy teetering on the edge, and completely at a loss at what his future looks like. He has a strong dynamic with Sepideh Moafi, who makes her character feel more well rounded than what I would assume was on the page.

By the time the film gets to the ending, I was left unsure about what I am supposed to get out of it. It’s the kind of ending that I have a feeling will inspire quite the discourse when it comes to how it grapples with masculinity. One could read it as bleak, it could be read as optimistic, and it could also be read as another example of how often women are expected to be forgiving while men just need to be pampered, lest they lash out, as opposed to actually confronting and dealing with their insecurities in a healthy way. I feel it’s vague on purpose to encourage discussion, which definitely makes for a more interesting experience overall, but I feel the film itself isn’t totally sure how it feels about the situation.

The Killing Of Two Lovers is a very engaging and often very intense drama. Its imagery is stark and captivating, and as much as its quiet and patient plotting could seem frustrating and stretched a bit thin, I found the characters and their dynamic with each other to be quite engrossing. Robert Machoian is bold in his filmmaking choices and stylistic flourishes, all of which serve to reflect the ideas and characters at the heart of the story without overstaying its welcome. Clayne Crawford delivers a remarkable performance, one that’s layered and vulnerable. As much as its ending might leave a bit more to be desired, I think the film overall is an interesting and compelling look at marriage, and its willingness to embrace the messiness and complexity that can come with this sort of situation makes it all the better for it.

The Killing Of Two Lovers is now out in select theaters and VOD platforms.