This is a movie that surprised me on many levels. I think the acting was decent. The plot wasn't very fast-paced, but in my opinion it was very, very real (personally, I could fully relate to this relationship minus the physical aggression part). It's not a story about partying, or love, or careers. And nope, I also don't think it's a movie about abusive relationships. In the end, it's a story about two children, who are suddenly faced with grown-up decisions and fully unable to deal with them (Spoiler: towards the end, Mel reaches that conclusion, saying she's scared to grow up, and at the end she actually makes the grown-up decision to let Dan go). Mel is deeply insecure (it's all over the movie, like her acting really insecure when he says he doesn't like kissing her after she smokes, then later with the porn, and so many other moments), acting out on her fears and regretting it just moments later. I don't think she's even really aware how much of a problem her anger issues are. Dan is much less insecure, but he's not a great communicator. He says little things that make Mel even more insecure. He has a new life, one that doesn't suit Mel well (his new friends and work), but instead of trying to resolve their differences, he just does his own thing. The circle of doom is easily born from this: her acting on her insecurities triggers him becoming more distant and focusing more on his work and co-worker, which in turn triggers her insecurity, which causes her to act less reasonable, which triggers him becoming more distant etc. Their problems could be resolved, but it requires them to act like grown-ups. Him, to talk about her aggression issues (and not in the middle of a fight) instead of cheating and lying about it. Her, to tell him about her insecurities in an open way and talk with him, instead of keeping looking for confirmations that he loves her. But they are still kids, not mature enough to take a step back and solve the problem, rather than wrapping op in their own frustration.
