Film Review: Marriage Story
Credit: Netflix
I don’t know why I am so inexplicably in love with this film which has haunted me ever since I saw it weeks ago at the NYFF. I was tempted to find fault with the annoyingly banal title, which does not exactly scintillate, but that would be petty. So, I guess all that is left is to figure out why it feels so perfect. Firstly, this is a divorce story and the root causes of the breakup are fairly ordinary - breakdown in communication, career conflicts, parenthood, unintended pain inflicted, repressed resentments/anger, disappointment, disillusionment. Nothing dramatic or catastrophic has occurred. So, what is the problem?
In Noah Baumbach’s film, Marriage Story, Nicole (Scarlet Johansson) and Charlie (Adam Driver) have been married for ten years. They have an adorable 8-year old son Henry (Azhy Robertson). They live in New York City where Charlie is the director of a struggling theatre company. Nicole is the principle player and the biggest draw. Alas, Nicole has grown dissatisfied and decided to go back to LA to pursue her acting career in film and television. She is taking Henry and wants a divorce. Charlie has not really accepted her decision as a reality. He keeps looking at it as a temporary break. In other words, he has had a typical male response to the idea of being left. Denial. In his mind there is no problem and they have a great marriage. On the surface, it does look pretty terrific.
Credit: Netflix
The opening scene in the office of the marriage counselor serves as a clever way of summing up their points of view and defining who and where they are. They are each tasked with describing what they loved about each other. It is both sweet and sad to realize that in spite of those positive things it is not enough to make them happy. Nicole is clearly not interested in this exercise as her mind is completely made up. The issue turns out to be one of her own making. She has allowed herself to be subsumed by Charlie and Charlie’s dreams and finally cannot take it anymore. She feels unheard and unseen by him. She is in a constant state of slow burn. The only relief from this state is her time spent with Henry with whom she has a joyful, playful relationship. Neither of these characters are monsters. They are simply locked into their opposing positions and trying to figure out the least damaging way out. They will have an amicable divorce (“no-fault” is legal in New York) with minimal legal expenses. At least that is the plan.
Once Nicole and Henry move to LA, the drama kicks in. The custody laws in California are different and Nicole starts getting advice from friends and family who convince her of the need to hire the “go-to” women’s divorce lawyer, Nora Fanshaw. Laura Dern plays Nora to the delicious hilt, her whippet-thin, stiletto-heeled, hyper-animated, manipulative personality overpowering all opposition. Amicable is clearly, no longer an option. Charlie, who is, once again, not reading the signs, engages a kinder, gentler avuncular legal counsel, Bert (Alan Alda). Bert is empathetic and cheap, but not up to the take-no-prisoners tactics of Nora. It is now, all about Henry, whom they both genuinely love. This drives Charlie into the hands of the uber-sleazy legal shark, Jay (Ray Liotta) and the gloves come off. They function like puppeteers for Nicole and Charlie forcing and exaggerating issues.
Credit: Netflix
The ensuing battle is not soft-pedaled. Between the couple there are scenes of such emotional intensity, you wonder if either one will survive. Equally, there are tender moments that reflect the affection which they once shared. All of these scenes are played with exquisite, heartbreaking honesty. The extraordinary performances of Johansson and Driver are so perfectly matched and believable that we have nothing but empathy for both of them. The clarity of events and circumstances which drive the narrative is so sensitively written, that we stay engaged with the characters, never questioning their actions. One can tell that Baumbach knows what he is writing about. It has an undeniable ring of truth and feels very personal. He has written and directed a bittersweet tour de force without a false note. It is a perfect jewel of a movie.
