MARRIAGE STORY (2019) - 9/12/2019

Rating: 9/10 (10 March 2020)

Upon rewatch, this film remained astonishing. Noah Baumbach has always had a knack for portraying the mundanity of life with such great detail and grace, and Marriage Story is yet another melodrama that shows how skillful he is. Marriage Story is a delicate dance of paradoxical emotions, weaving together themes of love, loneliness, heartbreak, and regret in such a manner that perfectly reflects the imperfect nature of human relationships. Adam Driver kills as Charlie, but Scarlett Johansson destroys as Nicole. Their performances are as intertwined as they are fragmented, and they bounce off each other with effortless chemistry. Marriage Story is a powerhouse of craft on all fronts. It is completely arresting and intimate. Baumbach reminds us how delicate love is, and that - amidst all the chaos that comes with it - there can always be beauty even in despondency and heartbreak.

Mitchell Bulfin