Millers in Marriage

I love films written, directed and acted in by Ed Burns. He knows exactly how to create a realistic and poignant portrayal of life, where the characters, the geography (typically New York), the era and the story each play an equal part in the audience's journey from beginning to end. This is no exception. It touches on what it means to reach your 40s or 50s and wonder what could have been had you made different decisions, how marriages become a very different type of relationship once the nest is empty, and how professional aspirations are lost or fulfilled, or both, but perhaps without the expected exhilaration or satisfaction. This film has a cast of A-list actors at their very best, no one of them being any more or any less integral than the other. It is supremely touching and will no doubt resonate with anyone "of a certain age."

The movie has an essence of soap opera, not real life people. They always drink wine and champagne, they are never hungry, they never do real life things, they never finish conversations that matter. They just behave like 15 years old, not mature 50 plus years old people. Unfinished conversations, feelings, relationships. Things are not explained. Why do people behave the way they do? The constant ending of a scene and jumping to another and then another is tiring and frustrating. What this movie is is three unhappy couples who should have divorced years ago. Did this movie teach me anything new? Not really.

Edward Burns is a very talented writer, director, and actor. I have seen several of his works and always consider them pretty good. But when I watched this 2024 movie, it seemed to be not quite right this time. After I did some thinking, I finally understood why I had such feelings and what was wrong with this screenplay. I don't know if you have found out or not, but I will point it out to you anyway.

Three all-white couples?! That is so wrong! In all the movies we have seen in recent years, the married couple should be and must be an interracial couple, either the husband is African American, or the wife is African American, or either one should be Asian sometimes. That is how we show to the world, that Americans' marriages, like cops or business organizations, are based on the DEI principle. Most of the superior ones should be African Americans. Therefore, these three couples all in White just looked so unreal. Mr. Burns completely ignored the actual norm of Hollywood. One of the three couples, the husband should be African American, and one of the couple, the wife should be African American. Only one couple, the husband and wife could be White, or best yet more thoroughly DEI, one of them is Asian American, Hindi American, Chinese American, or Korean American. Three couples all in White; how boring it would be!

Anyway, I would not think Mr. Burns is a racist for such an overlooked mistake.

In dry, wordy, indie drama "Millers In Marriage" Edward Burns, Julianna Margulies, & Gretchen Mol are 50+ siblings struggling in respective New York marriages to Morena Baccarin, Campbell Scott & Patrick Wilson (which respectively attracts Minnie Driver, Brian d'Arcy James, & Benjamin Bratt)... which they discuss, extensively. Writer / director Burns is the king of authentic US East Coast family / friends dramas - usually based on younger blue-collar folk, but this (his first film in six years) studies older 'rich people with champagne problems'... which lacks the Burns magic. It's really great that he's back, but can he please now step back further again... to his working-class roots?

For decades now, Ed Burns has created films that me feel at home. While not the type of movie in today's movie culture that's going to hit on awards, I venture to say this is the very best of Ed Burns.

This film is delicately woven together with a warm score and veteran acting skills. The writing is classics Ed Burns and highlights the details of life that typically gets glossed over today.

I'm always happy to see a new release from Burns and this one hit just right. The flow of the film was warm and inviting and I can't say enough about the performances of the main group of characters, some of whom we have waiting far too long to see.

Overall, a great film for people who like movies rooted in conversation and characters.