I went into Splitsville hoping for a clever, biting take on modern relationships, but came away feeling deeply disappointed. Despite its trendy premise of open marriage and romantic entanglements, the film never earns its emotional stakes or dramatic turns.
What works (a few):
Visually, the movie can be appealing - cinematography and production design occasionally offer pleasing frames, and there are moments of decent comedic absurdity. A few individual jokes land, especially when the male leads' insecurities are pushed to extremes. The pacing is brisk, which helps keep things from dragging entirely.
Major cons (why I rate it so low):
1. Emasculation writ large.
The film seems intent on reducing its male characters to caricatures of weakness, desperation and ineptitude. Rather than a nuanced exploration of vulnerability, Splitsville often feels like a smug humiliation of men - as if the only interesting role for them is to be mocked.
2. No character depth.
None of the four leads are truly developed. The women are especially short-changed: Julie and Ashley rarely transcend their roles as reflections of the men's conflicts. The film treats them as plot devices rather than full people with inner lives. Even where there is tension, it never feels earned - we don't know enough about anyone to care. (Many critics have noted this same failing.)
3. Dakota Johnson playing "Dakota Johnson"
Her performance feels so comfortably in type that she brings no surprises. Julie is essentially a variant of roles we've seen her play before - cool, composed on the surface, emotionally stormy underneath - but here she's underwritten, so the trope becomes stale rather than intriguing. Critics have similarly pointed out that her character is manipulated more than developed.
4. Self-indulgent, smug tone.
The movie frequently seems to expect us to laugh merely because these characters are clever, edgy, or tortured - but it never bridges the gap between the cleverness and the humanity. At times it feels like watching its creators showing off rather than telling a story.
In summary: Splitsville is a visually polished mess whose ambitions outstrip its execution. It never builds enough empathy or insight to make its ideas resonate, and instead leaves you feeling hollow.
