Sarah Polley’s new film ‘Take This Waltz’ takes a modern look at marriage and particularly it’s vulnerabilities. The film, written, directed and produced by Sarah has an excellent cast including Michelle Williams, Sara Silverman and Seth Rogan. Set in Toronto the script is well stocked with humor —the swimming pool scene being my favorite. Polley’s directorial debut with ‘Away From Her’ (2006) proved her ability to delicately portray the intimate moments that transpire between a couple. In ‘Take This Waltz’, Polley appears to have taken this to the next step: challenging herself to delve deeper, and bring forth to the screen the most private, intimate and sometimes mundane aspects of relationships.

Margot (Michelle Williams) is a frustrated writer, writing ads while secretly dreaming of being a real writer. Margot is inhibited by periods of acute melancholy and anxiety and suffers from deep insecurities. Married for the past 5 years to Lou (Seth Rogan), the couple lives comfortably in a quirky, colorful house in Toronto’s Queen St. West neighborhood. Margot and Lou appear to be happily in love: affectionate, jovial and tender. Or maybe this is not the case.

Margot meets Daniel (Luke Kirby), a 29-year-old artist/rickshaw driver who happens to live just across the street. What begins as a coincidental meeting of two unacquainted neighbors, quickly blossoms into a lustful, secret friendship. The friendship is fueled to inappropriate levels by Margot’s emotional immaturity and self-absorption as she seeks out her new companion after progressively more trivial disputes arise with her husband.

Margot tests the boundaries of her fidelity and commitment to her husband and she slowly convinces herself to succumb to temptation. Her time spent getting to know Daniel—hours of talking, soul bearing confessions and overwhelming sexual desire—is juxtaposed with her five year marriage: quiet dinners, routine sex and chicken for dinner. Margot’s own insecurities prove to be the destructive element in her relationship.

A. Handling