Movie Review: Marriage Story

Marriage Story **** ½ / *****

Directed by: Noah Baumbach.

Written by: Noah Baumbach.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson (Nicole), Adam Driver (Charlie), Merritt Wever (Cassie), Laura Dern (Nora Fanshaw), Wallace Shawn (Actor), Ray Liotta (Jay), Alan Alda (Bert Spitz), Julie Hagerty (Sandra), Robert Smigel (Mediator), Kyle Bornheimer (Ted), Mark O'Brien (Carter), Mickey Sumner (Beth), Azhy Robertson (Henry), Brooke Bloom (Mary Ann), Hannah Dunne (Agnes), Annie Hamilton (Becca), Martha Kelly (The Evaluator). 

 

Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story opens with Nicole and Charlie each reading a letter they wrote about the things they love about the other person, accompanied by images of them doing those things. It is an exercise suggested by their therapist who is going to guide them through their separation – but also a quick way for Baumbach, and his two extraordinary stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver, to establish Nicole and Charlie as real people, who do normal things and seem happy – who are about to spend the next two hours desperately unhappy. Marriage Story is an ironic title because the film is all about their divorce – all about how two well-meaning people who still care about each other can let things get away from them – and do things to deliberately hurt each other, even if they regret it right after. It is Baumbach’s best, most mature film to date – and contains two of the very best performances of the year – and an amazing ensemble cast.

 

There have already been many pieces written about “whose side” Marriage Story is on – and I suppose one could play that game if they so choose. I don’t think it adds anything to the movie to do so however, as for the most part, I do think that Baumbach strives for fairness in his portrayal of both of them – both of them either make mistakes, or do things you may well feel are unfair or cruel – and both of them are victims of the others mistakes and unfair and cruel things. The movie really is about how divorce does this to people – turns them into people they never thought they’d be. And so it goes.

 

Nicole and Charlie have lived in New York for 10 years, and have an eight-year-old son, Henry, who they both adore. He is a theater director of weird, off-Broadway plays – and talented enough to win a MacArthur Genius Grant during the course of the movie. She was a teen star who came to New York and met him, and then threw her lot in with his weird little theater company – growing as an actress, but also lending some name brand recognition to it, and contributing a lot of her own ideas. She is originally from L.A. – and always wanted to spend more time there during their marriage – her mother and sister live out there, they spend summers there, Henry was born there, etc. As their marriage is falling apart, she takes Henry to L.A. to film a pilot – and when Charlie comes to visit, serves him with divorce papers. This isn’t a surprise – they know its coming – but her plan to move to L.A. is. He always expected them to movie back to New York. And so the divorce proceedings begin in earnest.

 

So lawyers enter – on her side is Nora (Laura Dern, continuing her streak of amazing performances) – who is great at her job, and knows just how hard it is for a woman to go through this. On his side there is two – Ray Liotta as an asshole, willing to do anything, say anything and get nasty, and also Alan Alda, who seems to be more on the same page as Charlie – at least until he senses things are turning ugly. They all add something to the movie.

 

But the MVP’s here are Johansson and Driver – two great actors, arguably delivering the best performances of their career. You may feel early on that the film is being too hard on Johansson – and then comes an amazing monologue she delivers to Nora about just why she felt she had to leave, why she needs to do this for herself, and it’s an amazing and remarkable moment. The scene goes on a long time – way longer than most other directors would dare let it go – and Johansson holds every second of screen time. Driver will get his own moments as well of course – including the already much talked about rendition of Sondheim’s “Somebody” that is beautiful and heartbreaking. And, of course, there is eventually a fight sequence – where the two of them start out trying to be nice, and then devolving into nastiness pretty quickly – both saying absolutely awful things, but Driver taking it to another level.

 

Before Marriage Story, I would say that Baumbach’s best film was The Squid and the Whale (2005) – another film about divorce, but that one was from the outside – the perspective of a teenager watching his parents devolve into monsters. Now, 14 years and a divorce himself later, Baumbach tells the story from the outside in. It is very much in keeping with Baumbach’s style – the Woody Allen inspiration is still there, although Baumbach’s film is more complex than most of Allen’s stuff – more deeply felt, and fair. It is Baumbach’s best film to date – a film that is difficult to watch, because you like these people, and they are suffering so much you want to look away. But, of course, you can’t.