Killing a quiet masterpiece There's a quiet beauty, as well as a palpable undercurrent of dread, running through director Robert Machoian's The Killing of Two Lovers, a major, welcomed surprise that is as emotionally powerful as its budget is small. The director's stripped-down approach – real locations, sincere improvisation – results in a poignant, haunting piece of cinema verité as we witness one man's desperate attempt to save the family that's being torn away from him. David (Clayne Crawford) is a good man. He works hard, though there seems very little opportunity in the small Utah town he lives in, and is a devoted husband and a dedicated father. However, his wife, Nikki (Sepidah Moafi), is having second thoughts and has asked for a trial separation, something David reluctantly agrees to. That she puts forth the notion that they should be able to see other people during this time doesn't bode well.