Marriage Story (2019)

[Eric Duncan]

I'm too lazy to find a quote right now. But hey, you can still discuss away!

[lorddemaxus]

6 hours ago, lorddemaxus said:

This was a film with a whole load of great scenes (the envelope scene and the evaluator scene contained a masterful mix of comedy, tension, and drama) and is a great look into the anguish and anger faced during a divorce (even if they didn't intend it to be this painful in the first place) and the persistance of love but I thought it didn't feel like a cohesive film. Maybe it's me but I thought it missed Gerwig's touch that was apparent in his last three movies (even Meyerowitz, which she didn't write, had it). It's still a lot more gentle and compassionate than his pre-Gerwig films but it doesn't feel as tight or rhythmic at those three Gerwig-influenced films.

 

It's a shame Alan Alda isn't getting the same recognition as the rest of the cast because he does such an amazing job here.

 

8/10

 

4 hours ago, lorddemaxus said:

Getting Randy Newman to score this film was a weird choice though. I liked the score but it didn't fit the movie at many points.

 

Edit: I might be giving this movie less credit than I was initially giving it. Maybe the messiness of this movie was necessary. I've also thought about how the movie both spends more time with Driver's character but also makes him seem like more of an asshole than Nicole. The movie was probably inspired by his divorce with Jennifer Jason Leigh and I'm wondering if he feels some guilt about messing up his past marriage. I'm moving it up to a 9/10 and see how I feel about that. 

 

[CoolioD1]

Very effecting for the most part. I feel like Driver dominates the second half a lot more than i'd like. I get that baumbach's probably writing from his own perspective but it's so well balanced in the first half and that kinda slips away which was a shame for me. the main pair are both fantastic but all the supporting actors are doing like... sitcom acting in a way i don't like. except alan alda he was good. the rest of scarjo's family especially were like from a bad sitcom. kid wasn't great either. felt like it was written younger than the kid they actually cast.

[filmlover]

A wrenching portrayal of the ending of a marriage, and Noah Baumbach's best movie. I know friends and family who have gone through ugly divorces, and this movie felt uncomfortably accurate in its depiction of how the process can reach the point where it makes the lives of all the parties involved beyond stressful. But despite the heaviness of the subject matter, he manages to incorporate levity into the proceedings that allows for an air of hope that it'll all turn out well (loved the scene where the social worker is observing Charlie's parenting skills and he accidentally cuts himself for real with the knife before continuing to pretend like everything is fine lol). These are indeed the best performances of both Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson's careers: Driver has solidified himself as by far the best actor of his generation imo, revealing a vulnerability not previously exhibited in a restrained, deeply affecting performance, while Johansson is similarly masterful as she reminds us of all the promise she displayed over 15 years ago before establishing herself as a badass heroine. The supporting cast is great too: Laura Dern brings a spark to all of her scenes, while Alan Alda provides a warmth that ensures his presence is missed once he exists the picture around the halfway point and Ray Liotta is great in his little amount of screen time (also bonus points for Baumbach for using Julie Hagerty's penchant for playing the ditzy mother in mostly lame mainstream comedies to great effect here). It's a movie that feels authentic (Baumbach having been through his real life divorce from Jennifer Jason Leigh and Johansson having been through two divorces herself) and proves that the most fascinating stories cinema can provide don't always involve saving the world. A

Edited December 7, 2019 by filmlover

[Jamiem]

Phenomenal acting performances from Driver and Johansson (they would be my picks for best actor and actress at the moment), great dark humour that makes you feel bad for laughing at it and a very interesting use of aspect ratio that makes you feel claustrophobic being right there with all the characters in a way that is uncomfortable yet effective. 

 

A+ for me and in my top 5 of the year which is very high considering how great this year has been for film. 

[gadd]

One of my favorite movies of the last few years. Almost every scene in this was dynamite and the balance of humor and drama was exquisite. As other posters have alluded to, the supporting cast deserve so much recognition, some of whom (Merritt Wever for example) only have one significant scene yet they make their brief appearance so memorable. The characterization was so rich, and while the two leads are not always the most likable individuals, their flaws and the alternative ways in which they deal with a tumultuous situation makes their relationship and its breakdown so compelling. Driver definitely gets the meatier material in the latter stages, but that doesn't necessarily mean the movie is siding with him. Johansson has a few moments towards the end which purely rely on her facial expressions to sell the emotion, and she nails every single one of them. I'm also a sucker for filmmakers creating a sense of authenticity within their films, so minor details during key sequences like Charlie struggling to open a cupboard and the front door when the evaluator is in his apartment, and him helping Henry pronounce certain words when reading Nicole's letter were things I really appreciated.
This is a rare beast of a film which is so heartbreaking but simultaneously very re-watchable.

[MOVIEGUY]

Another good one from Baumbach. I feel like this is probably a lot more resonant with people who are married or have grown through a divorce. Maybe it's too grown up for me to fully get. I agree with some of what I've read on here though, preferred The Meyerowitz Stories and the tighter comic sensibility and... wasn't quite sure about Randy Newman as the composer. I wasn't surprised when I saw his name in the credits because I felt like I was listening to Toy Story at times. I don't remember specific scenes but there were times where I thought the music worked beautifully though. The cast is great throughout, I think the performances are what make this movie. I really enjoyed watching the scene in court with Laura Dern and Ray Liotta's nasty lawyer characters going at each other and sort of being surrogates for Driver and Johansson. And anytime Alan Alda's onscreen is a joy.

Edited December 9, 2019 by MOVIEGUY

[The Panda]

On 12/6/2019 at 6:19 PM, CoolioD1 said:

Very effecting for the most part. I feel like Driver dominates the second half a lot more than i'd like. I get that baumbach's probably writing from his own perspective but it's so well balanced in the first half and that kinda slips away which was a shame for me. the main pair are both fantastic but all the supporting actors are doing like... sitcom acting in a way i don't like. except alan alda he was good. the rest of scarjo's family especially were like from a bad sitcom. kid wasn't great either. felt like it was written younger than the kid they actually cast.

I agree with much of this. 

B+ movie

[titanic2187]

I don't like it, too much of sugar-coating of how morally and emotionally complex and brutal a divorce can be.

 

I wasn't convinced by even how they need to go into divorce in the first place. Given that is the whole premise of the movie, I wasn't really impressed by the rest of the plot then.

 

Both husband and wife are portrayed as nice and caring to each other and both are clearly still in love . Both are portrayed as nice husband and wife, neither of them seem to severely betray each other, and without financial disaster (the primary cause of divorce) and any signs of abusive gesture from one of the party, it is hard to believe why must they go into divorce without sufficient plot to serve that premise. 

  

Since both are portrayed as a loving divorce couple in a fairy-tale, much of the villainous plot are given to the lawyers who does nothing beside keep exaggerating the conflict that has nothing to do and little impact to the overall tension. Worse of all, after all the exchange of fire, the film presents another trick of fairy tale like plot that both just miraculously come to a deal peacefully. It is that moment it really felt the direction was to exaggerate the conflict with has little to develop even from the beginning.  

It got me a question to myself, If they can still love or care for each other after all bad-mouthing from their respective lawyers, why there must be a divorce then?

 

To me the film just doesn't seem like a divorce case that worth to be explored and deep-dive thematically. In view of all the gentleness of the plot, both lead portrayed a just fine amount of acting that just nice and enough serve the tension. i am glad the acting of two leads wasn't aggressive as the plot was too thin to support that kind of acting.

 

Nothing impressive here outside of few scenes. The cut of opening scene to the next scene was great , Scarjo's monologue during her first meeting with her lawyers was marvelous. The film peaked when both confronted each other in the new rented house. That is the only scene that got me thinking they were really divorcing. 

 

6/10

 

    

 

 

 

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[Lordmandeep]

The film was quite boring at first as there lives were not that interesting really to spend so much time on.

 

However once the marriage breaks down the acting is just a great treat to watch.

 

A- 

[Ipickthiswhiterose]

C+

 

Wow. I was NOT expecting to dislike that, especially after seeing some clips I really enjoyed online.

 

The acting was good......but that's it. That's the movie. 

 

I absolutely couldn't stand the trope of them working in entertainment and theatre - yes, I get that this is semi-autobiographical but I'm done with this. The narcissism of obsessing with the entertainment industry is cloying to me and while I adore Sondheim and love Company the use of two of his songs using themes that are designed for a niche branch of chosen theatre-folk watching was just awful. Why did these two have to work in that industry? So overplayed. 

 

I also found the score intrusive and annoying to the point of distracton. Maybe that's the point, but I don't care - it made me physically, viscerally disenjoy the movie I was watching.

 

Solid B+s and As for the actors, but...in isolation, with nothing else to recommend it for me.