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doomonfilm · 5 years

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Review : Marriage Story (2019)

Netflix comes rushing in at the end of 2019, just in time for the holiday season, with a movie that looks like it’s taking direct aim at the hearts of the masses. The ultra-talented Noah Baumbach is in the director’s chair, and he’s roped in Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver from their romps in the land of blockbusters to dive into a modern day version of a story used since some of the early days of cinema. Marriage, from what I understand, is an unpredictable series of ups and downs, and Baumbach and company are taking a hard look at the institution with Marriage Story.

Charlie (Adam Driver) and Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) are New York-based creatives attempting to raise their son Henry (Azhy Robertson) in the midst of a failing marriage. Nicole is the star of Charlie’s play, but on the verge of moving the play to Broadway, Nicole takes an opportunity to star in a Los Angeles-based pilot. Nicole moves Henry to Los Angeles with her mother Sandra (Julie Haggerty), and during a visit from Charlie, he is blindsided when he is served divorce papers by Sandra’s sister Cassie (Merritt Wever). As the split moves from being handled within the family to being handled by attorneys Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern) and Bert Spitz (Alan Alda), Charlie and Nicole are forced to face the reality of their family, their marriage, their professional opportunities, and most importantly, themselves.

Noah Baumbach takes an honest look at how the intimacy of marriage allows people to be truthful with one another to the point of damage, especially when they work together. The audience is given a good display of how parents who don’t get along can still be supportive of their children, even when they are going through personal moments that due major damage. Making an attempt to be clear on what the individual wants takes front and center stage, even (and especially) in the construct of a marriage. The delicate balance of two creative people using one another in a romantic and a creative capacity, and what happens when the public reception power dynamic shifts, is given close examination, especially when it is shown how these dynamics set up grand battles that end in petty bickering and character shaming.

Paralleling the differences between a man and a woman with the differences of Los Angeles-based film and television versus New York theater is a stroke of creative genius... though most likely not original, the context it is used in for Marriage Story provides a sound foundation for compelling storytelling and strong acting. With such raw tension and emotion connected to the relationship, most of the humor is found in the reflections on theater, TV and film, and many of these jokes land. Turning the differences between the coasts into a familial tug of war for balance and respect also works, with the tension amplified by distance and responsibility, as well as two vastly different lifestyles. The hopes of an amicable split propped up against the involvement of lawyers and due process is also grounds for tension, with the scenes in Marriage Story standing up to what would be the obvious comparison, Kramer vs. Kramer.

The way that the camera either observes the proceedings like a stranger that has stumbled onto a moment they should not have seen, or from the perspective of Henry, puts us in an objective viewpoint where we feel the most pain, rather than choose sides. The tone, tempo and pacing of the film are all high level, which is to be expected with a director that has the pedigree of Noah Baumbach in charge. The attention to detail found in the cinematography and editing make the little moments, memories and reflections truly stand out. The score is sparse, but it perfectly punctuates the few moments that it is present. Above all, the way that this film feels like being a member of a struggling family really hits... this is easily the most tender of Noah Baumbach’s incredible journeys into family and relationships.

Scarlett Johansson gets a chance to rove around in a more grounded performance, rooting herself in true emotion and connection rather than mysterious lore and fan service. Adam Driver gets a similar opportunity, and seeing him portray a struggling man holding on desperately to the final threads of a former lover pulling away is powerful. Azhy Robertson gives an extremely dynamic performance for such a young man, managing to swing between moments of insight and moments where children cause infinite frustration at the least opportune times. Alan Alda gives equal doses of dry with and deep humanity in the form of compassion, while Laura Dern manages to be extremely centered while keeping an extremely sharp edge... both portrayals of lawyers are some of the best I’ve seen recently in film. Julie Haggerty is a light in what quickly becomes a dark situation, providing consistent examples of unconditional love and non-judgement in an extremely uncomfortable family debate. Ray Liota brings the fierce focus to the table that has become his bread and butter, which in turn creates an implied increase in tension merely based off of his presence alone. Appearances by Wallace Shawn, Merritt Wever, Mark O’Brien, Matthew Shear, Brooke Bloom, Kyle Bornheimer, Mickey Sumner, Martha Kelly and many more, plus a cameo by Robert Smigel round out the proceedings.

I’m excited to see what Netflix has in store for us in 2020. The certainly have their headline news bases covered in their efforts to legitimize themselves, but having people like Noah Baumbach connected to your company really drive home the fact that they are serious about film. Hopefully the bar that he sets for quality will resonate throughout all those connected to Netflix in a creative capacity.

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thereellifeofreallifefilmblog · 6 years

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[NEW REVIEW] "Goodfellas" (1990) ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ . . Rating: R:18 Genre: Drama Runtime: 146 minutes . REVIEW: This is such a well-paced engaging story with memorable characters played by a phenomenal cast. Robert DeNiro and Joe Pesci stand out most notably. Amidst the violence, humour can also be found in the oddest of places and keeps recurring right the way through. The script is sharp and always on point, depicting the life of a mob with such thrilling energy it’s utterly entertaining. Goodfellas is at its simplest, a fantastic movie. What more can be said that I’m sure isn’t said already? An absolute must-see for sure. . . #moviereview #movies #movienight #movieday #blog #blogger #blogpost #films #filmreview #review #martinscorsese #robertdeniro #joepesci #rayliota #paulsorvino #lorrainebracco #samuelljackson #drama #crime #gangsters #mobsters #90s #1990s #mustsee #worthawatch #worthalook

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