Film offers insight on trials of love

By Pearl Wong

Love, heartbreak and the painful process of letting go is the focus of the drama "My Blueberry Nights".

It is a beautifully written film, with enlightening lines about love and how some relationships just do not workout despite the exhaustion of all efforts.

Norah Jones plays the intricate part of a jilted woman, Elizabeth.

She leaves the keys to her boyfriend's apartment at a small café owned by Jeremy who is played by Jude Law.

She returns one night to see if the keys were ever picked up. Her visits quickly become routine and Elizabeth engages Jeremy in a lengthy discussion that entertains the topics of romance and relationships. Jeremy attempts to enlighten and assure Elizabeth that her broken bond was not her fault.

Gradually, Elizabeth finds a small solace in his company.

Heartbreak, however, is not typically easy to mend, and one night she ventures out to try to talk to her ex.

However, fear traps Elizabeth and her excursion to speak with her ex results in a cross-country journey, where she works odd jobs while moving from place to place.

Along the way, she meets three extraordinary people going through different types of suffering, yet all at the hand of love: love for your spouse, love for your father and the tragedy of losing those you once loved.

From Memphis to Vegas, Elizabeth encounters the hidden connection between love and fear.

She learns that love can be fervent, fiery and passionate, but it may also become stifling, daunting and incredulous.

Eventually, an emotion's present brilliancy fades, yet somehow the memories linger on in our souls.

Complete with jazzy blues and artistic direction, this film can touch your heart and open it to what love is really all about.

Perhaps it is fear of unrequited love that stops us in our tracks, or maybe it is a fear of losing what we already have.