A sly look at a disintegrating marriage, 40 Shades of Blue works as subtly as its title suggests.

It's a matter of glances, hints and suggestions for the most part, edging in and out of a variety of forms of alienation and hints at chances of redemption.

The "40" may apply to the age gap in its central marriage. Rip Torn is the veteran music legend, a (fictional) white man who played his part in the rise of black music in its iconic location, Memphis (first home to Stax's triumphant musical and racial blend as well as Elvis's first home at Sun).

The Russian actress Dina Korzun, known in the west only for the memorable Margate-set Last Resort, is his much younger wife, who has left home for a more materially comfortable life, and traded emotional sterility for warmer weather.

Music plays a big part in the film's mood too, with the odd soul classic interspersed with a low-key score by Tindersticks' Dickon Hinchliffe; as with Last Resort, it feels largely improvised.

This offbeat tale set in his hometown won director and co-writer Ira Sachs the Sundance grand jury prize and is the sort of film Bob Rafelson might have made 30 years ago.