Recently I saw a couple of other films starring Anne Kendrick, I was not very impressed with them and so I got the same result for this one as well, even worse. I don't like musicals, especially not the modern ones, well, mostly. This is a short story that comes around 30 minutes, but with those nonsense songs, it became a feature film. Seems a few people liked it, I think they had a reason, but to me it was very boring.There was no any decent performances, all I saw was the film characters singing facing in one direction. Maybe they were looking at the lyrics board. I suggest don't go for it seeking a normal romance-comedy. If you like the musical, you might enjoy it, other than that, I don't see this would satisfy any average guy. So no offense for those who liked it, but this is totally a skippable film the year.3/10

Based on a 2001 Off-Broadway musical of the same name, "The Last Five Years" is, as its name implies, about a relationship between a couple who has their highs and lows. Weaving between the past and present this story follows the exploits of a novelist (Jordan) and would-be Broadway dancer (Kendrick) as they try to balance their professional exploits with their personal lives. Even at its happiest there's something offsetting and strange about their contented composure, and so most of this film is a depressing thrall (in a good way).Kendrick is flawless, as has been demonstrated many times before ("Pitch Perfect," "Into the Woods," etc.). Her paramour is played by Jeremy Jordan, who has a background on Broadway as well. Both have the voices for this film, and the music is full of sarcastic fits of belting, but also an aching hurt, demonstrated well in early 00's musical theater. The plot sometimes makes it difficult for the songs to have an emotional impact because there's not always a clear build. The first scene is the end of their relationship, which has an amazing performance from Kendrick, and a great song, but it isn't exactly clear how we as the audience should feel. The ending doesn't really clear this up either, which is the start of everything. It seems like these two were always doomed.While I liked most of this film, I didn't see much chemistry between the two leads. Most of the film they're apart either due to their work, the constraints of the novelist's fame, or the actress taking a job in Ohio. The only scene where they truly connect is "The Schmuel Song" which is a nonsensical, annoying footnote in the discography for this film. Though I found the depressing nature of the plot engrossing, the plot was uneven throughout and therefore this film is obviously flawed.

I'm giving this a 10 to try to counteract the ratings of most of these reviews. It isn't a standalone movie, and shouldn't be rated as such. It is an adaptation of the stage production almost exactly, and a pretty passable one at that: pretty cinematography, decent performances, and a good reading of the source material. Jeremy's voice is great for the part, and Anna Kendrick is...okay. My actual rating is more like an 8 (because the stage productions I have seen have been more moving, and this one does kind of make it good vs. bad, as opposed to two flawed people breaking). It is a weird film, yes, but not a bad stage production.

Jamie Wellerstein (Jeremy Jordan) and Cathy Hiatt (Anna Kendrick) have ended their marriage five years after they first met. The movie moves back and forth throughout their relationship. They met in Ohio. He's a writer who often goes to NYC for work. The long distance is a struggle. They get married and live in NYC. Meanwhile she's pursuing a Broadway acting career.Anna Kendrick continues to hit it out of the park with her performances. She has the sincerity. Jeremy Jordan isn't quite as compelling by comparison. He's still a perfectly fine performer. As for the confusing timeline mashup, I'm sure it's more compelling on Broadway. Memento comes to mind right away. However Nolan understands that movies are a visual medium and he uses black and white as well to distinguish the two timelines. The visual style is in general secondary in this musical. It's not bad but nothing really stands out.