Emotional and Powerful View of Divorce

Rating: 10/10 (20 March 2020)

The film I am reviewing is "Marriage Story". This is a story about a couple going through a divorce. The main characters, Nicole and Charlie, are played by Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. The theme deals with the truth of human nature. People change over time and so do their feelings. Although, you can tell they both still have a lot of love for each other but are just not on the same page anymore. They want to divorce, yet they both are very focused on the well-being of their son, Henry, played by Azhy Robertson. Which, the movie begins with a voice-over narration of both characters stating what they love about the other. They are in a therapy session with their marriage counselor. I feel this worked with the theme because the movie starts towards the end of their relationship. So, this is a way to introduce them both to us.
Nicole is originally from California but moved to New York so Charlie could have his theater career. He is now a successful director and Nicole performs in his plays, despite her desire to return to California and pursue her own acting career. In addition, she learned through some of Charlie's emails that he had sex with a woman from the theater. Nicole ends up getting a job in LA and takes Henry with her to her mother's (played by Julie Hagerty). The job was supposed to be short-term and Nicole would return to New York. They initially agreed to work everything out on their own; to not get lawyers involved. However, at the advice of a co-worker, Nicole decides to seek the help of a tough LA attorney, Nora Fanshaw (played by Laura Dern). Charlie then learns he now has to seek counsel, but in LA. He first goes to a tough, expensive lawyer Jay Marotta (played by Ray Liotta). Charlie initially decides not to hire him because of his expensive fees and due to the things he says Charlie will have to claim in order to win the case. An editorial technique used in this film was jump cuts. In this scene, once Henry hears all of this from Jay, he decides he is leaving LA and going back to New York. In the next scene, he is back at the theater in New York. When he returns to LA, he gets referred to an ex-entertainment lawyer who now practices family law by the name of Bert Spitz (played by Alan Alda). After their first meeting with Nicole and her lawyer, Bert advices him to settle and he feels like that's not good enough. It was important to him that Henry knew he fought for him. So, he goes back to Jay and shows up with him at the court hearing. Court becomes nasty as both lawyers try to paint a negative picture of each in order to win. Charlie and Nicole both grow tired and eventually come to an agreement with the divorce and go on to be happy in their own lives and as a family, still.
This movie is a good insight on marriage and what happens during divorce. I learned a lot about the laws that I didn't know. I also was able to see how divorce affects the men. This movie was very emotional and the subjective point of view shots really put you in the character's shoes. You're able to see things through their eyes and really feel their emotion.