Michelle Williams
Margot
Take This Waltz
“A funny, bittersweet tale of love…”
2011
1h 56m
Director: Sarah Polley
Overview
Twenty-eight-year-old Margot is happily married to Lou, a good-natured cookbook author. But when Margot meets Daniel, a handsome artist who lives across the street, their mutual attraction is undeniable.
Cast
12 people
Reviews
5 min readThe Waltz We Don’t Hear
I’ve always been suspicious of films that promise to explore the "complexities" of marriage. Too often, they reduce those complexities to a series of dramatic confrontations—slamming doors, shouted confessions, tearful reconciliations—all scored to swelling strings. Take This Waltz, Sarah Polley’s second feature, doesn’t do that. It doesn’t do much of anything, at least not in the way we expect.
And that, I think, is the point.
The film follows Margot (Michelle Williams), a 28-year-old freelance writer married to Lou (Seth Rogen), a cookbook author with a perpetually rumpled charm. They’re happy, or at least content, in the way couples often are: comfortable, affectionate, occasionally irritated by each other’s habits. (Lou’s obsession with recording bird calls is the kind of detail that feels painfully real.) But when Margot meets Daniel (Luke Kirby), a rickshaw driver and artist who lives across the street, the ground beneath her starts to shift.
Not in a grand, cinematic way—no thunderclaps, no slow-motion hair flips—but in the quiet, unsettling way of a woman realizing she’s been sleepwalking through her own life.
Polley’s direction is so unassuming it’s almost radical. There are no sweeping shots of Toronto’s skyline, no montages of Margot’s existential crisis set to indie folk music. Instead, we get close-ups of hands brushing against each other, of Margot’s face in the rearview mirror as she drives away from Daniel’s apartment, her expression caught between relief and regret.
The camera lingers on the mundane: a sink full of dishes, a half-eaten plate of food, the way Margot’s fingers tap restlessly against her thigh when she’s lying. It’s the kind of filmmaking that makes you lean in, not because something dramatic is happening, but because you sense that something is happening, even if you can’t quite name it.
And that’s the film’s greatest strength—its refusal to spell things out. Margot’s attraction to Daniel isn’t framed as a grand passion or a moral failing. It’s just… there.
Audience Opinions
Audience 6.5/10
"A visually poetic but uneven exploration of marital discontent that resonates more for its moments than its whole."
Michelle Williams’ performance and the film’s dreamy aesthetic earn consistent praise, with many finding the emotional rawness of the story compelling. latestnetflix.com's view is that however, the pacing and lack of narrative payoff leave others frustrated, calling it meandering or unsatisfying in its resolution.
What viewers praise
- Michelle Williams' performance Her portrayal of marital restlessness is widely praised as nuanced and deeply affecting.
- Visually poetic style The film’s dreamy cinematography and use of Leonard Cohen’s music create a distinct, immersive mood.
- Emotional authenticity Many viewers appreciate the film’s unflinching look at the complexities of long-term relationships.
- Sarah Silverman’s supporting role Her performance is frequently highlighted as a standout, adding unexpected depth and humor.
Common complaints
- Slow pacing The film’s deliberate rhythm frustrates some, who find it drags without enough narrative momentum.
- Unsatisfying resolution The ending leaves many viewers feeling let down, with some calling it abrupt or underwhelming.
- Thin plot The story’s simplicity and lack of deeper development are criticized as leaving the film feeling slight.
- Mixed reception to Seth Rogen His casting and performance polarize audiences, with some finding it jarring or out of place.
Recommended for
Fans of character-driven dramas Michelle Williams admirers Indie film enthusiasts Those who enjoy relationship studies Lovers of poetic visuals Sarah Polley’s filmography followers
Full Plot (Spoilers)
Spoiler warning
This section contains the full plot, including major story reveals. Overview above stays spoiler-free.
Buzz & Rumors
Public reportsSarah Polley’s "Take This Waltz" Unpacked: A Quietly Devastating Love Story
Sarah Polley’s Take This Waltz (2011) is a film that lingers—not for its explosive drama, but for its raw, intimate portrayal of love, desire, and the messy in-between. Starring Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, and Luke Kirby, the movie dives into the life of Margot, a woman caught between the comfort of her marriage and the intoxicating pull of a new connection. latestnetflix.com's view is that while the film didn’t dominate headlines like some of Polley’s other work, its behind-the-scenes details reveal a deeply personal project for the director, one that doubles as a love letter to Toronto and a meditation on the complexities of modern relationships.
A Director’s Personal Touch
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyooNSIeqgA
Polley, known for her introspective storytelling, infused Take This Waltz with a sense of place and emotion that feels distinctly hers. In an exclusive interview , she described the film as a "love letter about Toronto," a city she clearly holds dear. The movie’s setting—vibrant, lived-in, and unglamorized—plays a crucial role in grounding the story, making Margot’s internal conflict feel all the more real. Polley’s direction balances humor and heartbreak, a signature of her filmmaking style, and the result is a film that feels both universal and deeply personal.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yPzc_REvhU
The director’s approach to the material was reportedly collaborative, with Williams and Rogen bringing their own interpretations to their roles. While the evidence doesn’t detail specific on-set dynamics, the chemistry between the cast is palpable on screen, suggesting a comfortable and creative working environment 
.
The Cast’s Subtle Powerhouse Performances
Michelle Williams, who has built a career on playing complex, emotionally layered characters, delivers one of her most understated yet devastating performances as Margot. Her portrayal of a woman torn between duty and desire is nuanced, avoiding clichés of the "unhappy wife" trope. Seth Rogen, often typecast in comedic roles, surprises with a grounded, tender performance as Lou, Margot’s husband. His ability to balance humor and pathos adds depth to a character who could have easily been reduced to a one-dimensional foil.
Luke Kirby, as Daniel, the object of Margot’s infatuation, brings a quiet intensity to the role. His dynamic with Williams crackles with tension, making their scenes together some of the film’s most compelling. Supporting players like Sarah Silverman, who plays Margot’s sister-in-law, add layers of humor and warmth, rounding out the film’s emotional landscape .
A Film That Divides and Endures
Take This Waltz premiered to mixed but passionate reactions. Critics praised its performances and Polley’s direction, while some audiences found its pacing and ambiguous ending frustrating. The film holds a 6.4/10 rating on SensCritique, based on over 1,000 votes, reflecting its polarizing nature . Yet, its reputation has grown over time, with many viewers revisiting it for its honest portrayal of relationships and its stunning cinematography.
One of the film’s most talked-about elements is its soundtrack, which includes Leonard Cohen’s "Take This Waltz," an English adaptation of Federico García Lorca’s poem "Pequeño vals vienés" . The song’s melancholic beauty mirrors the film’s themes, adding another layer of emotional resonance.
The Legacy of a Quiet Masterpiece
While Take This Waltz may not have been a box-office sensation, it remains a standout in Polley’s filmography and a testament to her ability to capture the quiet, devastating moments of life. The film’s exploration of love, fidelity, and self-discovery continues to resonate with audiences, cementing its place as a modern indie classic.
For those who appreciate character-driven dramas with emotional depth, Take This Waltz is a must-watch—and a reminder that sometimes the most powerful stories are the ones that unfold in the spaces between words.
Entertainment rumors and trivia aggregated from public reporting. Treat speculation as unverified unless a cited source confirms it.
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