シングルマザーのアビゲイルはバーで雰囲気のあるイケメン・ベンと出逢い、一夜を共にする。ベッドの中で2人は、どうせ別れるなら恋人たちが大抵行う『別れるまでにする10の行動』をリストアップして、10個達成したらサッパリ別れよう！ と、意気投合。それは、「タクシーで橋を渡るとき濃厚なキスをすること」「ベッドで日曜版の新聞を一緒に読むこと」「どなりあいの大ゲンカをすること」などなど。別れるためなのに、リストをクリアしていく度、2人の距離は逆に近づいていく…。しかし、10個目の課題「“さようなら”と言うこと」が近づいてきており…。
AIが作品の魅力を深く読み解いています
製作費: $5,000,000 (8億円)
※製作費・興行収入はTMDBのデータを参照しています。収支は(興行収入 - 製作費)で算出したFindKey独自の推定値であり、広告宣伝費や諸経費は含まれません (1ドル=150円換算)。
音楽: Ariel Marx
制作: B. Austin Burger / Henry Kasdon / Beth Di Santo
撮影監督: James Heerdegen
制作会社: Franklin Avenue Films
Abigail (Christina Ricci) is a single mother of two who becomes pregnant after a one-night stand with Ben (Hamish Linklater). She's mature and down to earth; he suffers from Peter Pan syndrome and tends to put his foot in his mouth (trying to talk her into getting an abortion: “no one is going to want someone your age with three children”). In spite of his reaction, Abigail has sex with Ben again the same night she breaks the news to him; perhaps she thought she wasn't going to get any more pregnant than she already was. The next morning Ben decides that he not only wants to keep the baby but also attempt a relationship with her and her previous children – but this is more a whim than a well-thought-out decision; nearing 40, Ben thinks finally settling down is what he wants, or at least what he's supposed to want. At the same time, he sends Abigail mixed signals, to some extent paving the way for his eventual flight. Both engage in a vicious circle wherein she lowers her guard, and he lets her down; he returns with his tail between his legs, and she forgives him and takes him back. Ricci remains as capable and effective as she was when she debuted 30 years ago, and 10TWSDBWBU is a worthy addition to her eclectic filmography. That said, it's Linklater who elevates his game to a whole new level; his acting is so subtle you don't fully realize everything that's bubbling under the surface while watching the film – it's only as I write this that I reflect on the nuances of his performance. Ben could very well be a sociopath (and I think one character actually hints at that possibility). His boyish charm and rakish demeanor easily ingratiate him with Abigail and her family, and his immaturity and inexperience are the perfect excuse for his blunders – all the while underhandedly using Abigail's pregnancy, especially the deadline for an abortion, as some kind of ever-present ultimatum, to manipulate her. Writer/director Galt Niederhoffer doesn't expect us to like or dislike Ben; he leaves a small margin of ambiguity, enough for us to exercise our own judgment (though Linklater can convincingly turn the insanity all the way to 11, as he does in the Amazon Prime series Tell Me Your Secrets – another showcase for his mastery of the slow burn). Finally, 10TWSDBWBU (movies about lists are invariably bad, but in this case the title is misleading) is honest about what happens after happily ever after, and that alone makes it worth watching.
