By the Sea: Angelina Jolie Stars with Brad Pitt
In 2015, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt reunited on screen for the first time since their blockbuster hit Mr. & Mrs. Smith in the intimate, art-house drama By the Sea. Written, directed, and co-produced by Jolie, the film offered a starkly different tone from their previous collaboration — a slow-burn, melancholic exploration of marriage, grief, and emotional disintegration set against the beautiful backdrop of 1970s coastal France.
Jolie stars as Vanessa, a former dancer struggling with deep personal trauma, while Pitt plays Roland, her husband, a once-successful novelist suffering from writer’s block. The couple arrives at a luxurious seaside hotel in Malta (standing in for the French Riviera) hoping to repair their fractured relationship. As they spend their days in isolation, old wounds resurface, leading to moments of tenderness, jealousy, bitterness, and quiet despair. The film is deliberately paced, focusing heavily on atmosphere, long silences, and visual storytelling rather than conventional plot.
Angelina Jolie delivers a restrained and elegant performance as Vanessa. She brings a haunting fragility to the role, using her expressive eyes and graceful physicality to convey a woman haunted by loss. Pitt, in a more subdued turn, portrays a man wrestling with failure and emotional withdrawal. Their real-life chemistry as a married couple at the time added layers of authenticity to the story. The tension and intimacy between them feel genuine, making certain scenes deeply affecting. The film also features strong supporting performances from Mélanie Laurent and Niels Arestrup.
By the Sea marked Jolie’s third time directing a feature film. She crafted a deeply personal project, drawing inspiration from classic European cinema of the 1960s and 70s. The movie is visually stunning, with breathtaking cinematography by Christian Berger that captures the sun-drenched Mediterranean coast. The elegant costumes and production design further enhance the film’s sophisticated, melancholic mood.
Critically, the film received mixed reviews. While many praised the performances and visual beauty, others found it slow and overly self-indulgent. Commercially, By the Sea underperformed, grossing just over $4 million worldwide. However, the film remains significant as a bold artistic statement from Jolie and a rare on-screen reunion of one of Hollywood’s most famous couples.
For Angelina Jolie, By the Sea demonstrated her growing confidence as a filmmaker willing to take risks. It also highlighted her desire to explore complex emotional territories beyond mainstream action and fantasy films. Though released during a challenging period in her personal life, the movie stands as an interesting chapter in her evolution from global superstar to thoughtful artist.
By the Sea may not be the most widely remembered film in Jolie’s career, but it offers a mature, introspective look at love and loss. It remains a fascinating collaboration between two of Hollywood’s biggest stars, showcasing Jolie’s versatility both in front of and behind the camera.
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