Film: Marriage Story

GENRE: Dramedy

RATING: R for language and sexual references
RUNTIME: 2 hours and 16 minutes

STARRING: Adam Driver (Star Wars VII-IX, Black KkKlansman)

Scarlett Johansson (Avengers), Laura Dern (Wild, Big Little Lies)

DIRECTOR: Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale, Frances Ha)

WRITER: Baumbach (Life Aquatic, Margot at the Wedding, Greenberg)

PLOT: An emotional look at divorce.        

FULL DISCLOSURE: Got a good critic rating and Globe nominations.

STORY STUFF: I found the story heart-breaking. While I would usually be annoyed and possibly disgusted by the constant selfishness, I felt compassion for the couple. (I’ll admit that I rooted for the husband more though.) I absolutely adored the opening monologues that described the couple as individuals. It’s a beautiful way to start the film and made me contemplate all the things I love about my wife. The story is well told but does tend to drag at times; I think it could have benefitted from a 20-minute trim.

ACTING STUFF: Driver and Johansson are amazing to watch. They beautifully tap into their roller coaster of emotions. It’s a wonderful mix of chemistry and coldness. The supporting cast is also top notch with some fun performances. Unfortunately, Dern’s role is too much like her Big Little Lies character; does she want to be typecast in this kind of role? I enjoyed seeing the punitive performance of Ray Liotta (Goodfellas). I will say the evaluator played by Martha Kelly (Baskets) was cringingly awkward but I believe this was on purpose.

ARTISTIC STUFF: As mentioned, the opening montages are well done. The filming is creative at times but the emphasis is on the acting. I wish there were some songs rather than Randy Newman’s score, not that it was terrible. It just seemed too bare at times.

VERDICT: Four stars out of five

SEE IT IF: You want great acting (or considering divorce I guess).

UPCOMING REVIEWS: Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker