I am going to assume that anyone reading this already knows that the film is about a couple going through the divorce process (if you didn't know this you find out right at the beginning). Halfway through the film I asked myself why the film wasn't called "Divorce Story" as the story is really about the difficulty that families face when a relationship falls apart. After mulling this over for a day or so I think I realized the answer. The film isn't about divorce as much as it is about relationships. In the film the couple doesn't seem to have problems that couldn't be worked out. In the opening sequence we see that there is actually a lot that they like about each other. As the film plays on we see that there is a fair amount of baggage that each of them has.

And that's where the heart of the film is. Much of the baggage are things that the characters have carried around in silence and thus they were allowed to grow and mutate internally. The film isn't so much a cautionary tale about divorce as it is a cautionary tale about relationships. The key to the film was said by Alan Alda's character in the middle of the film: after all of this is said and done you're still going to have to work this out between the two of you. So yes, the repressed feelings ended up being spoken by lawyers at the cost of hundreds of dollars an hour. And yes, when it was all said and done they did have to learn how to get along. But the real problem is that they had not learned to talk to each other years before and they were just starting to learn how to do it when the dust settled. What if they had learned how to do so years before?

It is wonderful to see A-list hollywood actors doing adult dramas again. Adam Driver has really been on a role with some fantastic films (including the criminally unseen Paterson). This wasn't the most entertaining Baumbach movie that I've seen but it may be the most intelligent (and in some ways, the most important). The writing and acting are superb.

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Okay... I have million things to say about this movie but I will try to keep it short. This movie made me cry many times. Movie had so many small but very meaningful and powerful scenes.

- The scene at the beginning of the movie when Scarlett's character says "good night" and leaves living room and immediately starts crying. That scene spoke to me on so many levels, I instantly started crying with her.
- The scene when she cuts his hair. (OMG I saw myself in her character.)
- Throught the fighting scene and the hugging scene after that.
- Last scene of the movie with his son. (WOW!)


Relationships are hard, require sacrifice and if one side is acting selfish enough to hurt the relationship, you know it won't last. No matter how much you love each other, no matter what you do, some people won't make any sacrifices, give up on their dreams or care about other person's goals. You can't take your partner for granted and think they are gonna stay happy as time goes by. These kind of relationships are only good for one side, and you definitely lose yourself in time. One of the best lines in movie was also about this issue. This relationship was so real and relatable for me, and masterclass acting made it so much easier.

- Also special shout out to Merritt Wever, although her role was very small in this movie, she still managed to shine. I have recently seen her in Unbelievable and i think she is one of my new faves.

[9.4/10] The strange thing about real life is that it can be simultaneously ridiculous and heartbreaking. Awards bodies often put comedies and dramas in separate categories (or de facto exclude comedies entirely). But the best films and television shows are the ones that mirror real life in the way that includes both some laughs and some tears, some absurdity and some trauma, some silly joys and some crestfallen lows.

The greatest strength of *Marriage Story* is the way writer-director Noan Baumbach not only acknowledges this, but codes it into the film’s DNA. It is an achingly real film, one that captures the messiness of divorce, the awkwardness of new family arrangements taking the place of old ones, and the anger and loneliness of the conflicts that engenders. But it also captures the kafkaesque insanity of making your way through the legal system, the down-to-earth silliness involved in trying to be a single parent, and the wry humor that comes from friends and family and oddly subdued evaluators trying to be a part of a process that no one really gets right.

In short, it covers everything about the experience of dissolving a long-term relationship, especially one complicated by a child that both parents love with all their hearts even when they’re at their wits ends with one another.

That framing keeps *Marriage Story* accessible. There’s no villains here (well, maybe the lawyers). Instead, the film is about two people who both mess up at times, sometimes in horrific ways, but who are both doing what they think is right and best. Both Nicole and Charlie have believable flaws, and each bear their share of blame (and blamelessness) for how things go so wrong. But so much of that stems from each of them loving their child, wanting to be able to continue the different, separate lives each wants, but wanting their son to be a part of it.

That’s a noble goal, albeit one that both can’t achieve at the same time. So instead, things get ugly. One of the most striking, devastating, but ultimately human elements of the film is how it charts the feelings that Charlie and Nicole have for one another and how that changes and evolves over the course of the film. In many ways, *Marriage Story

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I don't even know how to start this review… Marriage Story is one of those movies that stays with me long after I've finished it. I've been thinking about it a lot, and it's undoubtedly one of the most realistic dramas I've ever seen. That's due to the award-worthy performances of Adam Driver (Charlie Barber) and Scarlett Johansson (Nicole Barber), but also because of Noah Baumbach's incredibly layered screenplay. In addition to this, Baumbach is undeniably one of the best directors of the year. With the help of his DP, Robbie Ryan, he sets the platform for Driver and Johansson to shine as the astonishing actors that they are.

Some people watch films to forget their daily issues. Some just want to have fun. Some want to learn more about a particular true story. However, there's not a single person alive who wants to watch a movie and not be able to leave the theater (or, in this case, their couch) entertained. Marriage Story has such an emotionally complicated premise that it's tough to convince people to sit and watch. I mean, who wants to watch a divorce develop throughout more than two hours? Who wants to watch two people who were once in love with each other become the worst of themselves? Yelling, fighting, court, custody, lawyers… It's not exactly an attention-grabber.

I imagine people who went through the same situation getting triggered and remember a phase of their lives that was probably one of their worst. I'm writing this because I've seen some negativity towards people who simply don't want to watch Baumbach's depiction of a depressing event. It's perfectly understandable if anyone decides to skip this one, especially if it hits too close to home. In my case, I've never gone through a divorce (hopefully, I'll never will), and usually I can "enjoy" this type of sad, frustrating, bittersweet films (Manchester by the Sea, A Ghost Story) for what they are, no matter how tragic.

If I had to choose one-word praise: realistic. There's no way around it. The palpable emotions are the main reason why this story works so well. Only people who have never been in a relationship of any kind can't understand the moment when a fight starts to escalate, and the couple begins to say terrible stuff at each other that they don't exactly mean. The exaggeration and over-the-top arguments are part of every couple's life. They can occur due to a hundred reasons related to stress, work, accumulation of little things, or simply because it's just not a good day.

Marriage Story doesn’t deliver a hopeful message or a sweet story because that’s not what divorces are. It’s not difficult to imagine how hard it is to separate yourself from the person you love(d) for years without end, even more when there’s a kid involved in the process. Baumbach could have followed the genre cliches and provide moments of pure happiness, but that’s not something that happens during a situation like this. It’s a heart-wrenching phase to live through, and I believe that this movie is going to be thoroughly analyzed in film school in the next decade or so.

THE scene with Driver and Johansson going at each other exponentially harder and heavier criticism-wise is one of the most emotionally powerful dialogues of the millennium. The raw emotion and the physical movements that both actors can bring into the fight are absurdly impressive. Their chemistry is so inexplicably real. I never, not even for a single second, thought that I was watching fictional characters. Nicole and Charlie can very well be our neighbors or part of our family. Baumbach's use of long takes really elevate every single sequence, allowing the protagonists to move around the set and actually act.

Technically, there's no better acting this year than what Driver and Johansson deliver. Both are always moving and doing a lot of things while giving their lines. Making dinner, drinking tea, going to the bathroom, chopping a carrot, blowing their nose, standing up, sitting down, walking around the room, crying, smiling, laughing… All of this in a single take! Several times!! Scarlett shows more emotion throughout the runtime than her counterpart, but Adam proves why he's the frontrunner at the 2019's Oscars. His restraint when Charlie is trying to be polite even though he's mad, or his explosive behavior when his character decides to finally let go (excellent build-up), are some of the attributes that make his performance my favorite of the year.

Not trying to diminish Johansson's display. Both deliver career-best performances, in my opinion. Both deserve every award that exists. The supporting cast is also impeccable, and I know that Laura Dern (Nora Fanshaw) is probably going to be nominated. Still, the two leads are so engaging and captivating that I couldn't be impressed with anyone else. The only person to rise to the main actors' level is Noah Baumbach himself. With the best screenplay of 2019, he offers the audience an incredibly complex story, filled with subtle details and exceptional dialogue.

He controls the movie's pacing beautifully, and he knows the right moments to insert a little joke to lighten up the dark, depressing mood. My only issue with the film has to do with its replay value. We all have been through this situation: watching a fantastic movie, only once, and never again. Marriage Story is going to be one of those films for me. I love everything about it, but I know the chances of a rewatch are very, very small. It's a profoundly unsettling story, super uncomfortable at times, and I really don't want to go through the sadness and frustration all over again.

All in all, Noah Baumbach delivers what I believe to be its career-best flick, Marriage Story. With the best screenplay of 2019, as well as one the best directions, this is the closest the world is ever going to get to a realistic depiction of a divorce. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver also give the best performances of their lives, elevating every single scene, dialogue, argument, or joke. The long takes allow them to shine and actually work as actors, moving around the set and doing domestic/job tasks, while delivering their lines. Technically, both Baumbach and the entire cast are absolutely perfect. It's an extremely emotional narrative, very depressing, sad, and even uncomfortable at times, which might scare some people off, especially if they've been through this. Despite its replay value being affected (a rewatch is very unlikely), it's a phenomenal lesson in storytelling that stays with us long after it's finished. Easily, one of the best movies of 2019. Don't miss it, and try not to cry.

Rating: A

I wish so badly I could separate the art from the artist, and this is the only reason I cannot give ‘Marriage Story’ the five stars it actually deserves. My own issues with Baumbach aside, however, and it’s shocking to me that a film so simple can be so nearly flawless (I mean this technically too; the film is shot, edited, paced and scored beautifully). Despite how much I cried, it finds beauty and comedy in the tiniest of moments. It’s an ugly portrait of two flawed people and therefore never easy to watch, but it is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had with a film in years. I just hope I never have to experience it myself.
- Ashley Teresa

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https://www.maketheswitch.com.au/article/review-marriage-story-simply-extraordinary