“Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson recently went viral with a tweet complaining that Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story should really have been titled Divorce Story, and beyond Tyson’s usual dour literalism, the tweet points to a way that it could be easy for audiences to reduce the movie’s narrative to a simple binary choice. Is this a marriage story or a divorce story? Should we side with husband Charlie (Adam Driver) or wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson)? Who wins and who loses? There have been passionate online arguments in favor of both Charlie and Nicole as the film’s ‘true’ protagonist, but one of the best things about Marriage Story is that way that Baumbach steps aside and lets the characters speak for themselves (through the fantastic, resonant performances by both lead actors).
“That starts from the very beginning, with narration of the two reading letters describing what they love about each other, opening the movie on a note of warmth and positivity, before recriminations and pettiness set in. That Charlie and Nicole decline to actually read those letters aloud creates a moment of bitter irony, but it also allows for the rush of emotions at the end of the movie, when Nicole’s letter returns in a way that points toward a future of compassion and understanding for the couple. In the middle, both characters behave reprehensibly at times, but they both also navigate a scary and intimidating process with the intention of doing what’s best for their young son.
“If there’s a villain in Marriage Story, it’s the divorce industry itself, and even the shark-like lawyers played by Ray Liotta and Oscar-winner Laura Dern seem caught up in a system out of their control. Marriage Story synthesizes the caustic emotions of some of Baumbach’s darkest films (including The Squid and the Whale and Margot at the Wedding) with the exuberant humor of his collaborations with partner Greta Gerwig on Frances Ha and Mistress America. Marriage Story is emotionally devastating at times (memes of its intense, tear-filled central fight have also gone viral), but it’s also funny and even heartwarming, or at least bittersweet, especially in the separate scenes of Charlie and Nicole breaking into songs from Stephen Sondheim’s Company. Neil deGrasse Tyson may want to put a label on it, but the movie, like all genuine human relationships, can never be reduced that easily. ~ Josh Bell
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