The Edge of Love

The Edge of Love
Directed by	John Maybury
Written by	Sharman Macdonald
Starring	Keira Knightley Sienna Miller Cillian Murphy Matthew Rhys
Music by	Angelo Badalamenti
Cinematography	Jonathan Freeman
Editing by	Emma E. Hickox
Release date(s)	18 June 2008 (2008-06-18) (Edinburgh Film Festival) 20 June 2008 (2008-06-20) (United Kingdom)
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English

The Edge of Love is a 2008 John Maybury film starring Keira Knightley, Sienna Miller, Cillian Murphy and Matthew Rhys from a script by Sharman Macdonald, Knightley's mother. Originally titled The Best Time of Our Lives, the fictional story concerns the famous Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (played by Rhys), his wife Caitlin Macnamara (played by Miller) and their married friends, the Killicks (played by Knightley and Murphy). It was an official selection at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Plot

The story is based loosely on real events and real people, drawing on famous David N. Thomas' book Dylan Thomas: A Farm, Two Mansions and a Bungalow.

During the London blitz of World War II, Vera Phillips (Keira Knightley) runs into her first love, a charismatic Welsh poet Dylan Thomas (Matthew Rhys). Their feelings for each other are rekindled, despite the fact that Dylan is now married to and has a child with the spirited Caitlin Macnamara (Sienna Miller). In spite of their initial rivalry, the two women become best friends, and, drinking heavily in wartime London, the three get along well.

At this time, William Killick (Cillian Murphy), a British soldier smitten by Vera, pursues her. They fall in love and marry, but soon after William is posted to war. Vera gives birth to his baby, and she and the Thomases move to the Welsh seashore to raise their children in two small, neighboring cottages where Vera and Caitlin's friendship grows ever closer. One day, however, Dylan enamors Vera into an affair.

William, scarred by the horrors of war, eventually returns home where Vera notices his emotional distance and instability. In his disquiet, William grows suspicious of his wife's infidelity. Severely drunk one night, and angry with Dylan's friends' ignorant discourse of war, he returns home and fires multiple shots into the Thomas' house, though he hits no one. In the morning, he is arrested by the British police and taken to trial.

During the trial, Dylan testifies against William by exaggerating the facts, stating he believed Killick was not only sober, but also that Killick intended to kill him, his wife, and his child. The jury finds William innocent of intent to murder, and he returns home. He accepts his new role as a father, and Vera forgives him, rekindling their relationship. Soon after, the Thomases move out of their cottage. During the farewell, Vera restores her relationship with Caitlin, remaining close friends, but Vera never speaks with Dylan again, unable to forgive him for testifying against her husband.

Cast

Keira Knightley	Vera Phillips
Cillian Murphy	William Killick
Sienna Miller	Caitlin Macnamara
Matthew Rhys	Dylan Thomas
Lisa Stansfield	Ruth Williams
Graham McPherson	Al Bowlly
Camilla Rutherford	Nicolette
Alastair Mackenzie	Anthony Devas
Richard Dillane	Lt Col David Talbot Rice
Huw Ceredig	John Patrick
Simon Armstrong	Wilfred Hosgood
Rachel Essex	Mel
Nick Stringer	PC Williams
Anthony O'Donnell	Jack Lloyd
Rachel Bell	Midwife
Anne Lambton	Anita Shenkin
Karl Johnson	Dai Fred
Richard Clifford	Alistair Graham
Bethany Towell	Rowatt 1 month
Acacia Pattinson Biggs

Distribution

The film made its world premiere opening at the Edinburgh Film Festival on 18 June 2008. It was released in London and Dublin two days later, with a Welsh premiere taking place in Swansea (the birthplace of Dylan Thomas) on the same night, attended by Matthew Rhys. A national release followed in the UK and Ireland on 27 June 2008. An exhibition of costumes, scripts and props from the film was on display at the Dylan Thomas Centre in Swansea until September 2008.

Critical reaction

The review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reported that the film received a 34% "rotten" rating, based on 53 reviews by critics. The Hollywood Reporter critic Ray Bennett commented that The Edge of Love is a "wonderfully atmospheric tale of love and war" and stated about Knightley and Miller that; "the film belongs to the women, with Knightley going from strength to strength (and showing she can sing!) and Miller again proving that she has everything it takes to be a major movie star."

As of 25 August 2008, the movie review aggregator, Metacritic, awarded the film a score of 39 denoting "generally unfavorable reviews". In Variety, Leslie Felperin commented: "While the period drama has several redeeming features, tonally it's all over the map, veering between artsy stylization and hum-drum, sometimes almost twee melodrama."

Mark Kermode described the film as "inert" and said that the script was "flawed but not without some form of admirable merit". The Independent felt that "Maybury's stylisation makes the film more interesting than it would have been if directed by your average British journeyman, but it finally adds up to earnest heritage romance."

Sienna Miller received a nomination as Best Supporting Actress at the 2008 British Independent Film Awards.

At the 2010 Vits Awards, it was 3rd place in the "Bottom 5 Movies". In addition, it was nominated for "Worst Directing" and "Worst Script".

Sound track

The Edge Of Love (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
Soundtrack album by Angelo Badalamenti
Released	24 June 2008
Genre	Soundtrack

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic

The Edge Of Love soundtrack by Angelo Badalamenti includes performances by singers Keira Knightley, Siouxsie Sioux, Suggs, Patrick Wolf, and Beth Rowley. Siouxsie performs the second version of "Careless Love".

The composer performed the soundtrack live with Siouxsie and Beth Rowley in Ghent, at the World Soundtrack Awards, in October 2008.

Track listing

1. "Lovers Lie Abed"
2. "Overture/Blue Tahitian Moon"
3. "Underground Shelter"
4. "Hang Out The Stars In Indiana"
5. "After The Bombing/Hang Out The Stars In Indiana"
6. "A Stranger Has Come"
7. "Fire To The Stars"
8. "Careless Talk"
9. "Careless Love"
10. "Love Me"
11. "Careless Talk"
12. "Drifting And Dreaming"
13. "Home Movies"
14. "Under Fire"
15. "Maybe It's Because I Love You Too Much"
16. "Vera Begs Dylan"
17. "Vera's Theme"
18. "Holding Rowatt"
19. "Careless Love"
20. "Caitlin's Theme"

External links

• Official website
• The Edge of Love at the Internet Movie Database
• The Edge of Love at Rotten Tomatoes