"Between Us" is a relationship drama. Two thirty-something couples, all friends, have ended up in slightly different places in life, but they are all determined to get through their relationships together. Except, they really don't care. The first weekend, Grace (Julia Stiles) and Carlo (Taye Diggs) visit the more successful Joel (David Harbour) and Sharyl (Melissa George). What is obvious to everyone else is that Joel and Sharyl are putting up a fake façade to hide their unhappiness.Grace and Carlo are both, simultaneously, unaware of their best friends' unhappiness and uncaring so much that they don't care to do anything about it. Except complain. They're not being perfect enough hosts for their liking.In the future, making it clear that there has been a falling out between these friends, Joel and Sharyl visit Grace and Carlo in their small New York apartment. Joel and Sharyl are still putting up a fake façade, but this time about pretending to like their former friends. Grace doesn't care."Between Us" has been compared to Carnage. Both films are driven by dialogue between two couples, but that is where the similarity ends. "Between Us" has no comedy and the characters are so ridiculously boring, that I don't care about them. And I shouldn't, they don't care about themselves or anybody else.There is supposed to be a thriller element, keeping us in an air of suspense as to why these two couples, and best friends, have had a falling out. But this fails for many reasons: there is nothing interesting about this falling out, and they don't really act like friends in the first place, so there is no suspense.Boring people in uncaring friendships and relationships make "Between Us" a very boring and pointless film.Who Might Like This: People who like slow-paced relationship dramas; people who don't mind script-less dialogue-driven films; adults who want to see unhappy relationships evolve/de-evolve.

Incredibly hard to make a play feel like a movie but Dan Mirvish has succeeded and then some. Stellar cast who bring it, stylish, and an outstanding Behind The Scenes extra that tells it like it is.The film is shot beautifully by Nancy Schreiber (one of my favorite DPs), edited in a really interesting, non-linear fashion and is a showcase for Taye Diggs, Julia Styles and David Harbour. And while Melissa George has the sort of thankless role, she comes through when it's her moment to shine at the climax.In the end, all of it comes together under the skillful direction of Mirvish.

Let's be clear: This is not an easy movie to watch. Like Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? or (more recently) Carnage, Between Us almost seems to revel in exposing the nastier side of human nature. We're given a ringside seat at an emotional slugfest as a pair of (nominally friendly) couples eviscerate themselves and each other at a series of ill-advised dinner parties. Once the wine starts to loosen tongues and inhibitions, verbal sparring quickly escalates into full-on psychological warfare -- the 'take no prisoners' kind. And trust me: There's more genuine violence in this movie than the entire third act of Man of Steel -- it's just that here the characters are clobbered with words, not skyscrapers.In short: If you like Who's Afraid...? and Carnage, then Between Us is a must-see.

Art is best when it captures a human emotion and puts it on display for a viewer to see what they have felt inside represented by a performer. For it is through the performer that the viewer may see themselves in a way they have never seen before, as the actor exhibits raw human feeling; that palpable yet indescribable feeling that sets humans apart from other life forms.Between Us exposes the unvarnished dualism of love and contempt; the comfort, warmth and acceptance of a committed love relationship and the inimical pain of rejection, contempt and disdain of a disaffected partner. The underlying plot of the film is subservient to the performances delivered by an extraordinary cast; indeed, the plot is merely a platform for the cast to display attacks on another and the deep wounds manifested by the assault.Skillfully directed by Dan Mirvish this is a must see film. Each performer is provided the latitude to dig deep inside and deliver an honest, albeit, uncomfortable exhibition of aggression and pain experienced by the target of the attack; at points attractive and ugly; and compassionate and selfish.Some may view this film as a story about role reversals sprinkled with bits of humor. But for those who have experienced betrayal, disrespect by a loved one, contempt and disdain, this film is so much more than an interested dark comedy; it is an opportunity to see yourself.