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Marriage Story (2019)


One of the most interesting and consistent indie writers and directors working today, Noah Baumbach’s career has seemingly reached its logical Oscar nominated conclusion with the release of Marriage Story (albeit on the arguably anti-indie Netflix).

Featuring two of Hollywood’s hottest properties, Scarlett Johansson (nominated for TWO Oscars this year) and Adam Driver (excellent in everything he does, from mumblecore fare such as Paterson to Star Wars) Marriage Story does almost exactly what is says on the tin, telling as it does the tale of a wedded couple - though it is hopefully no spoiler to say that the focus here is on the deterioration of said relationship, rather than a more traditional happily ever after narrative.

Charlie and Nicole are a New York power couple of sorts, as a successful theatre director and actor respectively (one can’t help but draw parallels with the director’s previous marriage to Jennifer Jason Leigh, as well as with current spouse Greta Gerwig) but are pulled in different directions by Nicole’s desire to live and work in LA to be closer to her family, as well as pursuing an independent career in film and TV.

Their young son Henry is the focal point of divorce proceedings, with both parties wanting him to live with them on opposite coasts of the country. The 3,000 miles between New York and LA often seems to pale into comparison with the emotional distance that builds up between the couple, particularly when Nicole makes the decision to pursue legal advice.

Laura Dern is on career best form here as Nicole’s divorce lawyer Norah, who initially appears refreshingly sensitive to the delicate nature of the situation, but soon turns out is determined to advance her own interests through the case. This is exacerbated when Charlie turns to Ray Liotta’s old fashioned and bullish attorney Jay, when it transpires that playing nice is not going to get results.

The film is a sensitive and devastatingly realistic portrayal of a modern relationship, to the point that one understands the numerous pieces of advice not to watch with a partner or significant other. The tone is so astute, and script so stuffed with dialogue that encapsulates many of the inherent issues and contradictions within traditional relationships, that it would not be surprising to learn of an upward trend in divorce rates as a result of its release.

An unexpectedly subtle and nuanced score from Randy Newman is unobtrusive in the best possible way, complementing and elevating the narrative without explicitly telling the viewer how to feel, and cinematographer Robbie Ryan (a frequent collaborator with Andrea Arnold and Ken Loach) deploys his distinctive naturalistic style to great effect.

Marriage Story is the undisputed pinnacle of Baumbach’s cinematic output, and serves as an interesting companion piece to one of his early works The Squid and the Whale (2005), which explores his own parents divorce. Hopefully the success of this film will encourage cinema fans to seek out this and other movies from an incredible back catalogue, whilst also proving a strong appetite for honest depictions of human relationships on the big (and small) screen.

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