A Love Story Told Through The Lens Of A Divorce

Rating: Null/10 (21 December 2019)

From the director of The Squid & the Whale, Frances Ha & Mistress America comes a love story told through the lens of a divorce. Marriage Story finds Noah Baumbach taking inspirations from his own life and pouring details of the separation process he himself went through into the script, and the result is a very personal, evocative tale.
The film captures the awful, ugly, messy & emotionally devastating side of marriage dissolution with utmost sincerity. Baumbach's script is as impressive as his direction and his own personal connection to the material allows him to be aware of where to draw the line and not get carried away, thus keeping things grounded & authentic at all times.
Helping the writer-director translate his story from script to screen are Adam Driver & Scarlett Johansson, both bringing their fragmented characters to life with fervour in what's arguably the finest performances in the careers of both. Packing a strong emotional wallop, their renditions unfold like emotions steadily rising to the surface until it finally explodes.
Laura Dern also manages to stand out with a smashing input, and steals almost all her scenes while that annoying kid gives the audience a reason why they shouldn't have one in the first place. The plot structure & execution resembles a theatre play, camerawork is fluid, employing long takes & close-ups in ways that only pulls us in. And thanks to smooth editing, the narrative flow remains streamlined.
On an overall scale, Marriage Story finds Noah Baumbach delivering on every front, and ranks amongst his best directorial efforts. What strikes out most about his latest work is that he captures the mundanity with same zeal as the story's vital segments, and addresses the themes of loneliness, heartbreak, agony, frustration & regret with an understanding, compassionate eye. One of the finest films of the year & certainly amongst the best in Netflix canon, Marriage Story comes strongly recommended.