If Only Film Analysis - Movie Review Example

If Only Film Review Introduction If only is a romantic 2004 film starring Jennifer Love Hewitt and Paul Nicholls and was directed by Gil Junger. Analysis Question 1 Investing in love is one’s greatest asset. While love is an unpredictable emotion, it is a subject worth writing about since the beginning of time. It is unpredictable as it can change by years, months or even days. Regardless of these straight facts, Ian Wyndham (Paul Nicholls) and Samantha Andrews (Jennifer Love Hewitt) invests their time into a love bank in search of profit.

Question 2 There exists a romantic relationship and commitment between Ian Wyndham and Samantha. Samantha and Ian are committed to one another as they leave suddenly to go and visit Ian’s rural hometown for the first time. Ian’s trust in their love is made clear when he reveals that his father died sometime in 1993 as a result of alcoholism that he picked up after losing his beloved job. (If only, the movie) The romantic relationship that exists between the couples is proof that the Triangular Theory of Love by Sternberg is real in a number of ways.

High levels of intimacy are clear by the couple as the two spend the most time of the entire film together while Ian confesses that he loved Samantha from the first time he saw her. Passion and intimacy, (Sternberg 135) are portrayed in terms of limerence and sexual attraction when Ian finds out that Samantha would not survive another day. From that moment, he decides to spend every minute together doing the best things while there is time, although Samantha does not know that she is later going to die.

Ian and Samantha start kissing before they make love, which turns out to be the last time. Question 3 Samantha portrays literal non-listening when Ian tells her that he loves her. She simply says she loves him too while also stressing to the fact that it is raining and thus missing out on the point that Ian tries to put forward. In the scene, Ian wants to confess his love for Samantha including the history of his love and how much she meant for him, but her non listening made her miss the point.

Question 4 In the film, the method used to manage the Ian and Samantha conflict is Collaboration. Sam and Ian are in a conflict when Ian blows away a student of Samantha and their relationship almost boils over. Upon realizing his mistake, Ian follows Sam (who runs away crying) begging for forgiveness. The method is very effective as Sam sees clearly that Ian’s apology is from the heart. Question 5 The dynamics of self-disclosure is clear when the couple undergoes the integration stage. When having drinks, Ian reveals a secret that Sam was never going to know from anyone but Ian.

Ian reveals that his father died nine years ago from the then-present day from alcoholism as a result of losing his beloved job. Sam replies by telling him that he was too young to save his father and wherever his father was, he was proud of him. Question 6 The only type/level of relational de-escalation shown in the movie is differentiating and circumscribing. Ian and Samantha are involved in a conflict when Ian blows of a student of Samantha. After explaining her frustration, Samantha gets furious and leaves crying and furious but Ian.

Upon realizing his mistake, Ian comes running after her (before the conflict gets to the advanced stages of stagnating, avoiding and termination) and asks for forgiveness assuring her that he meant not to hurt her. Question 7 Relational tension is seen when Ian has a presentation to do at work. In the scene, Sam (who is left at home when Ian goes to work) sees notices envelope similarly to the one Ian always carries to work and she thinks that he forgot it. Fearing that Ian’s presentation might fail because of the missing envelope, she hurries and so as to take the envelope to Ian at the room where he is making his presentation only to find that Ian had made a copy of the envelope.

At this time, she gets confused as she thinks she is ruining Ian’s presentation while Ian sees this as a ruining bit, as he knows the events will make his presentation be disapproved. Conclusion There are some movies people watch and forget and there are some which leave behind imprints in their minds. This one falls in the latter category. It just made the viewer think that life is so perpetual. Every second, every minute is so unpredictable… People do a lot of planning as if they are sure to live forever and they forget to live that very moment, which probably may never come back!

Works cited Sternberg. Robert.J. (1986) A triangular theory of love. Psychological Review. 93, 119. If Only: The movie. Dir: Gil Junger. Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, 2004. Film.