Movie Review - Marriage Story

Director: Noah Baumbach
Genre: Drama/ Comedy/ Romance
Runtime: 136 minutes
Year: 2019
Starring: Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Merritt Weaver, Julia Hagerty, Wallace Shawn

Description: Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate look at a marriage breaking up and a family staying together.

Review: “Marriage Story” follows the story of two young parents in a divorce. Their flame is as good as out. She wants this and he wants that. And with a child between them, their divorce is not the same as simply ‘not being in love anymore’. It’s all a bit more complex.
For director Noah Baumbach this is familiar territory. Some time ago, the filmmaker himself, was separated from actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. Although we should never automatically blame the filmmaker for these fictitious events, “Marriage Story” seems to be an obvious look over Baumbach’s shoulder. In “Marriage Story” he flirts very sympathetically with his own story: that of a director and an actress who are in a divorce.
At the beginning of the film, both are instructed by a mediator to write down the good things about each other. He about her and she about him. About their peculiarities, parenting and other qualities. But to read the story aloud for her almost-ex (something like ‘the opposite of a fiancée) goes a little too far for Nicole. She leaves the session stamping het feet and yells at Charlie and the mediator, because they ‘get along so well’.
This comical and dramatic opening scene sets the tone of what is to com: bizarre (but realistic), sentimental (but cheerful) and intense (but also warm-hearted) scenes from a broken marriage. Slowly but surely their relationship becomes one of subpoenas, lawyers and guardianship issues, not knowing that they are pushing each other so closely into a corner.
Like other Baumbach films, “Marriage Story” is also full of lightness and healthy irony. More than enough in fact: Woody Allen is emphatically echoing in this wonderful work, including razor-sharp dialogues and long, uninterrupted scenes. Johansson and Driver form a perfect couple. Even though, ironically enough, they are in a divorce.
Because “Marriage Story” is undeniably supported by their acting skills and those of the rest of the cast (especially the two spirited divorce lawyers, played by Laura Dern and Ray Liotta). The happiness and misfortune that Charlie and Nicole experience at a wild pace, feels very natural and is beautifully captured by clever direction. The fact that Charlie enters the stage of melancholy mood and picks up the microphone to sing “Being Alive” by Stephen Sondheim, fits in perfectly with the film. This scene, and the ‘big fight’ between Charlie and Nicole, where the best moments of the film.
And even if it’s about a divorce: according to Baumbach, it’s worth looking at the wedding story just then. Do that too.
“Marriage Story” is one of the best films of 2019m I just can’t fault it.

Rating: 5/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2016 - # 71: Bridge of Spies

Director: Steven Spielberg
Genre: Drama/ Thriller
Runtime: 141 minutes
Year: 2015
Starring: Tom Hanks Mark Rylance, Amy Ryan, Sebastian Koch, Alan Alda

Description: During the Cold War, an American lawyer (Tom Hanks) is recruited to defend an arrested Soviet spy (Mark Rylance) in court, and then help the CIA facilitate an exchange of the spy for the Soviet captured American U2 spy plane pilot, Francis Gary Powers.

Review: Steven Spielberg is one of the biggest modern American film makers. Adventure films of historical dramas, they are special. And again Spielberg has made a movie about war. This time the sixties, the cold war.
The story is about James Donovan, an insurance lawyer. He has to defend the Russian spy Rudolf Abel and also help the CIA facilitate an exchange the spy for a captured pilot.
The focus is not on wether Rudolf Abel is a spy or not. In the opening we see his daily routine and how Abel is trying to stay under the radar. When the FBI arrest him, he is nothing but corporative.
Tom Hanks is very solid in his role, but it’s Mark Rylance that steals the show with his ontrovert performance as Abel. “Bridge of Spies” is a good film, strong, solid, but nothing spectacular.

Rating: 4/ 5

100 Movie Challenge 2014 - # 9: Wanderlust

Director: David Wain
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 114 minutes
Year: 2012
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Paul Rudd, Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Alan Alda, Kathryn Hahn, Michaela Watkins, Linda Lavin

Description: After George (Paul Rudd) is downsized from his financial firm and Linda's (Jennifer Aniston) depressing documentary is cancelled, they can no longer afford their overpriced 'micro-loft' in New York. They find themselves with just one option - to pack up their lives and head south to move in with George's brother and his wife. George and Linda stumble upon Elysium, an idyllic community where the only rule is to be yourself.

Review: The last years producer Judd Apatow made some funny comedies. I wasn’t sure if “Wanderlust” would be as loved as “Bridesmaids” and “Knocked Up”. Some of the actors you know from his previous films and they make this movie very entertaining.
The plot doesn’t have many layers, but I don’t think that will bother anyone: Two yuppies from New York end up in a hippie community. Although they had a ton of chemistry in “The Object of My Affection”, they don’t seem to find it here. At least not as much. And they don’t shine either, because Alan Alda and Justin Theroux steal the show. I did like Jennifer Aniston going nuts. Although there are a lot of hippie clichés ( a nudist, free love), they know how to make it funny.
“Wanderlust” is a comedy that made me laugh, but it’s not very special.

Rating: 2,5/ 5