Film Review: Marriage Story

Film Review: Marriage Story

Photo creidt: Netfilx and https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-08-20/marriage-story-teaser-trailers-netflix

Disclaimer: I am not a film critic.  But as a regular person who can appreciate a good movie, I think I can say my piece about a certain movie that was totally unexpected and moved me in a different way.  The movie I am referring to is Netflix’s Marriage Story. 

I know, this review is probably late and I have been way behind about how people raved about this gem of a movie, but when you are stuck at home and observing social distance in this time of Corona outbreak- you look at the best possible way to not waste your time.  

Believe me, I was hesitant to watch this movie as I was afraid that it would bore me to death and will just not have the patience to sit through two hours of people mostly talking.  I was ready to fall asleep when I was watching the movie.  In fact, a glass of water and a tablet of melatonin were waiting by my nightstand to be taken anytime my brain would tell me that the movie was boring me to death.  I was waiting to get bored, but it never happened. 

The movie was engaging from start to finish.  For someone who did not undergo formal education on films like me, who would enjoy a regular movie fanfare- the likes of Disney, superhero, occasional horror flicks- Marriage Story was a big surprise.  It kept me glued from start to finish. 

What made it special?  It was populated by great performances from its actors.  And it played a narrative so real, and grounded you could not know who you would be rooting for in the end.  All characters were real, flawed but lovable; likeable and annoying at the same time-like in real life. 

I can’t believe how Scarlett Johannson and Adam Driver did not win the Oscars for Lead Actress and Actor for their performances.  It was well-controlled and was not melodramatic-something that a Filipino soap opera would tend to gravitate on doing when faced with the same situation.  Their performances were grounded, which was probably would happen to me, when faced with similar situation.  I would not wail like there would be no tomorrow but would still show my grief in a humane kind of way.  Their greatest moments in the film were during certain scenes when they were showing their vulnerability and raw emotion while trying hard to restrain themselves to be in a telenovela-like situation.  You would feel it when they are angry, and you would like to hug them when they were really sad. 

One particular scene was when (Spoiler alert) the character played by Adam was reading the note that Scarlett’s character wrote how she fell in live with him.  This was toward the end of the film when all the kinks where ironed out and everyone was trying to move on.  They were holding back tears but trying to be strong-like saying, “is this all worth it?”.  That scene could have stretched into a circus of drama- orchestral music, waterworks, flailing arms, extreme close ups but it was cut short just enough to tug  at your heart strings and move on to the next phase of your life-just like in real life.  The director, Noel Baumbach handled that scene, and every scene for that matter- very delicately and wonderfully. 

They deserved the Oscars.  But then again, the Academy Awards is about popularity and sentimentality.  Historically, it overlooks great performances and favors hype.  I am not saying that Renee Zelwegger and Joaquin Phoenix were bad at their respective movies, I saw Judy and Joker at the theater, mind you and they really delivered great acting.  That was the problem.  They were acting.  Adam and Scarlett were living.   Renee did wonderful in impersonating Judy Garland, Joaquin was awesome putting a different spin at the Joker when you thought that it could not be done any other way after Heath Ledger’s performance but man, Marriage Story was a powerhouse.  And I just saw it in my bedroom TV.  Imagine how huge the impact would be if I had seen it in the big screen.

Speaking of “living” performance, Laura Dern was so natural being a hateful lawyer.  But sidebar to that, she was being a lawyer.  She was not a bad person if you would look closer at her character.  You could see her different layers in one single scene.  She shifted tones so naturally, you would empathize with her at one second, then you would like to throw her the TV remote the next second.  She deserved that Oscar. 

Other notable performances were from the actors who played Scarlett’s sister (Merrit Weaver- so funny) and mother (Julie Hagerty-so California), Adam and Scarlett’s son (Azhy Robertson), Adam’s lawyers (Alan Alda and Ray Liotta), and the evaluator (Martha Kelly-she was like a character from an SNL sketch). 

Throw in to that were references to Stephen Sondheim’s Company (numbers like You Could Drive a Person Crazy and Being Alive) which I lived for, as well as art design of the whole movie-the color tone was somber it evoked so many emotions. 

This movie was so awesome.  I could tell you that.  It was a smart movie and did not make the audience feel stupid as you can deduce so many things out of the motivations of each character without spoon feeding you every single detail-case in point, the strategies done by each lawyer during the litigation process. 

It was not pretentious, not like Roma or Gravity or Shape of Water.  These movies were beautiful visually, but they did not evoke so many emotional chords like this one.  This movie was real life. 

I suggest in times like these, treat yourself to a good movie.  Go watch Marriage Story and be prepared to get heartbroken. 

March 23, 2020