My film writing has decreased awfully in output, and to right this I’m going to give myself a few weekly features to write, the first of which, as my Wednesday feature, is the “Modern Masterpiece”, which I’m narrowly defining as write ups on the best films of the 21st century. And for the first entry I’m going for Derek Cianfrance’s 2010 romantic drama “Blue Valentine”, starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams as young couple Dean and Cindy.

There are films that focus on the early, nice bit of a relationship, often they will fall in to the romantic comedy genre, and then there are those which show a marriage on that way out, often to devastating effect, perhaps most famously in Ingmar Bergman’s brilliant “Scenes From A Marriage” (1973), and one of the most impressive aspects of Blue Valentine is that it is both of these films in one. Told through cross-cutting rather than a typical narrative order, the film chronicles the early days in Dean’s courting of Cindy, and a weekend towards the end of their relationship, taking place some years after they became married.

The early sections capture the youth and innocence of the characters perfectly, as the superb chemistry between the two leads allows these sections to fly by with ease and enjoyment, a particular highlight being a charming scene with a ukulele, and Michelle Williams’ brilliantly uncool dancing to go along with it.

But it is during the later sections, where the marriage is falling apart, that the two are at their best. The effectiveness of the narrative technique means that just before one of the characters is doing something that would make you hate them in a normal film, you just saw, or are about to see, that character some years before, and so they become fully rounded humans, with pasts and experiences to shape them, and so you it becomes difficult to hate them, but instead as an audience we sympathise. The film is tough to watch because of how well crafted these characters are, the film looks it’s themes unflinchingly in the face, and allowing such life to come in to the characters through both writing and acting makes their suffering ours as well.

Michelle Williams gives perhaps the best performance of her career as Cindy, desperate to keep her marriage working, and the more sympathetic of the two main characters, her performance is fraught and full of desperation.

However it is Gosling who gives the films best performance, and the finest work of his career. Snubbed of an Oscar for his work here, like Williams he masterfully plays what are essentially two different roles, as the Dean of past and present are so starkly different from one another. It is through his effortless charm in the earlier sections that make Dean a sympathetic character, as he is far easier to dislike in the later sections.

Perhaps the most important element of the film is the incredible chemistry that the two posses, both in the earlier and later sections they are never less than totally convincing in their roles and relationship, perfectly conveying a love that turned in to something much more akin to hatred. The films best, and climactic scene, sees the two argue out their issues in a kitchen, and through their superb, emotional performances and impeccable chemistry, it becomes perhaps the most memorable couple-arguing scene in recent memory, a scene full of anger and desperation.

Derek Cianfrance should be singled out for his work here as both writer and director, as he has created two of the best characters of any film released in 2010, and has crafted a powerful, moving film with the two of them as the centre.

Despite improvising dialogue the film never feels hastily thrown together, but rather every shot is well framed, the editing is strong and lighting is used effectively to support the mood of the scene. Perhaps the best crafted scenes in the film are those that take place in the hotel in the later sections.

In brief, why is it a modern masterpiece? The characters are masterfully crafted, the performances are awards worthy, utterly convincing and perfectly realised, seeing two of the great talents of their generation at their absolute best. And finally through a very well structured narrative it is able to hit the audience in the gut with all the power of a sledgehammer. Not an easy watch by any means, but a rewarding and moving one, Blue Valentine is the best romantic drama of recent memory.