Film Review: Brief Encounter
Laura and Alec are both married with children. Their chance and brief encounter at the train station immediately strikes a spark which leads to weekly rendezvous and an affair.
Usually, one will pass judgement to the characters that allowed themselves to be entangled in such an affair. Do they ever feel guilt? What Laura and Alec feel for each other is intense and they know they can't be happy in the present situation. Their actions, while many will not agree, are just what they seem. And these are conveyed effectively by the actors (Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard).
What make this film notable, in addition to controlled but great performances, are the characterization and the the black and white cinematography that adds mystery to the 'doomed' love affair.
In the middle of the film I was actually got annoyed with the (in my opinion) excessive voice overs until I got to see later scenes that made me understood the motivation. This may not be as grand as other David Lean's films (e.g., Lawrence of Arabia, A Passage to India, Doctor Zhivago, Bridge on the River Kwai); however, this is an important title in the great director's filmography.
Rating: 4.0/4.0
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