Michelle Williams and Luke Kirby in a scene from Take This Waltz.
Directed by Sarah Polley (Canada)
Sarah Polley takes a lot of risks in this, her second feature as writer-director, the story of an anxious woman (Michelle Williams) whose journey of self-discovery leads her away from a comfy marriage (to Seth Rogen) toward an alluring neighbour (Luke Kirby), and eventually deeper into herself. Unfortunately, not all of the risks pay off. Williams's fearless take on a not-conventionally-likeable heroine can be wearying; the story arc, though precisely detailed, is small; and the pace might be too thoughtful for some (i.e., slow). But you've got to admire Polley for tackling a subject so thorny – an unhappy person who can't recognize her own part in it – and sticking to it without compromise.
Sept. 10, 9:30 p.m., Roy Thomson; Sept. 11, 12 p.m., Ryerson
Johanna Schneller