Married Life

Great cast, a very good recreation of "the times" (1940s) in almost every way (hey, I was "there").

Costumes/cars authentic and I loved watching all of the "smoking" (e.g. in nice restaurants, etc.) scenes.Though I'm a non-smoker and HATED those who puffed while I dined, for some reason those scenes made me a bit nostalgic (probably because I did not have to actually breathe-in that poison).

When the movie ended I wanted more however (and it is tantalizing/frustrating to read in another Thread that there is a much longer version of this film that was deemed not the right fit for current theatrical release).

Enjoyable and fun film. Cooper/Clarkson perfect (as always) and I feel Pierce is very underrated as someone who is way more than a "pretty face".

Before I saw this film, I knew two things about it: The 4 lead actors, and it took place in the early 50's. After seeing Patricia Clarkson in "Far From Heaven," I was anxious to see her play in this period again.

I have to say I was pleasantly surprised by this film. At first I didn't know what to make of it, or where it was going. It is a dark comedy. The twists and turns of the film are completely unexpected. It kept me on my toes, and the 4 lead performances were great.

Without going into the synopsis too much (you can find that anywhere) if I had to compare this film to another..... I'd say it's kind of a darker, funnier "Closer", but set in the early 50's.

What I found interesting about the film is that it was incredibly complex, well-written characters, in very complex situations, set in a very simple time.

Let's talk about Patricia Clarkson for a minute. This is an actress who should've been nominated for several Supporting Actress Oscars by now. (The Green Mile, All The Real Girls, Far From Heaven, Lars and the Real Girl.. to name a few). I hope she finally gets some recognition as the Leading Actress in this film.

Rachel McAdams: This proves her acting abilities. She is incredible in this film. She is so beautiful, subtle, and so commanding. Definitely her most mature role to date.

Of course, I expect nothing less from Oscar-winner Chris Cooper. This proves to me though that he can carry a film, and not just be a strong supporting character.

Brosnan is great too in the least "meaty" I'd say of the 4 leading roles. He is very suave, but also provides some unexpected comic relief.

Great film! Go and see this.

Based on the 1953 novel "Five Roundabouts to Heaven" by John Bigham, "Married Life" - co-written by Oren Moverman and Ira Sachs, and directed by Sachs - is a throwback to all those florid film noir melodramas in which a bored husband (Chris Cooper) plots to do away with his wife (Patricia Clarkson) so he can start a life with his mistress, a leggy, blonde widow (Rachel McAdams) whose husband died in the war. Pierce Brosnan plays Cooper's best friend, a womanizing bachelor who, naturally, falls in love with the mistress, and who provides the overly-sincere, laughably self-conscious narration for the tale.

Though this kind of thing's been done much better in other films ("Double Indemnity," "The Postman Always Rings Twice" and "How to Murder Your Wife" spring immediately to mind), solid performances from an A-list cast, rich period detail (the movie is set in 1949), and an interesting subtext about marriage meaning different things to different people ultimately make it palatable.

I love MARRIED LIFE!! It is a well crafted and beautifully written movie. By appearing to be a traditional noir, the film plays on the audience's expectations of the genre but then turns out to be something very different--something far more sad, funny and soulful. By having the traditional voice-over and haunting music at the outset, MARRIED LIFE subverts the viewer's expectations and draws us into a story that is utterly unique.

Characters in the film are not whom they appear to be--I like how all the leads are introduced as archetypes (e.g., the unhappily married business man, the cad, the long suffering wife, the pretty young widow) but each not only turns out to be different than expected, all four go through some sort of transition that deepens their humanity. They may be imperfect people and lacking in insight, but the audience feels empathy for their struggles. Given their array of poor choices, this is pretty amazing--their yearnings are poignant, even when their actions are deeply misguided. Humans are capable of being incredibly narcissistic and giving at the same time--the movie illustrates this with a mix of humor and pathos. The characters may be unable or unwilling to stop their most primal urges, yet we are rooting for them to find some happiness all the way to the end.

This film is wonderfully shot. Period details are rendered with loving care--whether it is the glorious costumes or the sweeping set design. Performances are top notch -- a true ensemble cast who look and sound like they are from a bygone era. A rich score magnifies the shifting moods without giving you whiplash. This is a complex movie that demands we see the world in shades of gray -- life is never simple. Especially married life!

The DVD package says this is "a sly & smart comedy", but I have to warn you, that's not exactly what you get. To me, a sly & smart comedy would be "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels" or "Deathtrap" or even "Fargo". While this movie has the same bizarre, criminal elements and intelligent dialogue as the above, I never sensed any outright comedy.

Still, it's well done & definitely worth a watch. Rather than a comedy, I would describe it more as a "drama of errors". The subject of murder is actually handled quite seriously although its casual nature might come across as odd (hence the humour?). There are no real laughs, but the strangeness of the story might elicit a few snorts, chortles, and possibly even a harrumph. But no guffaws.

The acting is excellent, the script is good, the style & direction is smooth & suave, like the 1940s setting it depicts. Some might consider it slow, but I'd say that's a plus because it gives us time to digest the complex themes that are presented such as the incompatible definitions of 'love', the value of loyalty in marriage as well as friendship, and of course the morality of murder.

Overall I liked this film. It's just the dag blasted ending that left me feeling cheated. I won't talk about it except to say that you should watch the alternate endings included on the DVD instead. In particular, Alternate #1 is closer to the book, and it gives us the thematic closure that the theatrical version omits. Alternate ending #1 also has a great piece of acting by Pierce Brosnan which, if it were in the actual movie, would've definitely made me bump up my rating by 1 or 2 stars.

"Married Life" is definitely worth the $2 rental fee. It deviates from the book on several key elements (such as the ending) and as a result doesn't quite wrap things up convincingly. But as far as movies go, it's entertaining, engaging and showcases some great acting talents.