Brilliant work especially by Baumbach, Driver, and Johannson

Rating: 10/10 (15 January 2020)

Charlie and Nicole Barber (Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson) are a New York couple working together in the theater world and in the process of ending their marriage in an amicable manner. After Nicole takes their young son with her to Los Angeles to live with her mother, she begins divorce proceedings.
In a five-year period beginning in the late 1970s, there were three exceptional domestic American dramas that won many hearts and numerous awards: "Kramer vs. Kramer" (1979), "Ordinary People" (1980), and "Terms of Endearment" (1983). "Marriage Story" has revived this genre (at least the part of it that wins much positive attention) and raises the bar.
Director/writer Noah Baumbach has succeeded in making a divorce story that is sad, gripping, funny, and even somewhat of a thriller at times. There is so much to ponder in every scene whether it be subtle or harsh. And as it reflects modern life so accurately, its impact is stunning and lasts well after the film's conclusion.
Baumbach is blessed with a superb cast especially in his leading players who each have a standout individual scene plus a dialogue scene that hits it out of the park.
Near the beginning, Johansson is exceptional in a scene in which she summarizes her life situation to her lawyer. Near the end, Driver is extraordinary in a revealing scene in which he struggles to fight back tears. But each is at their best in a confrontation scene that lasts several minutes. That scene alone belongs on a special "best of all time" list and should be mandatory material for future acting students. It is at least equal to the renowned confrontation scene between Erland Josephson and Liv Ullmann in "Scenes from a Marriage" (1973).
The film is also blessed with a great supporting cast. As Nicole's lawyer, Laura Dern is cleverly devious as someone who can barely conceal her shark teeth behind a seemingly smiling demeanor. As another family lawyer, Ray Liotta easily matches the Dern character's disregard for humanity. (The legal profession is ripped to shreds in this film.) On the lighter side, Julie Hagerty is funny as Nicole's flighty mother; so is Martha Kelly in a small role as a mousy court evaluator who must observe how each parent relates to their son.
The power of "Marriage Story" could easily make it the best film of 2019; it could even be the best film of the decade. - dbamateurcritic
RATING (out of four stars): * * * *
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS:
Directing by Noah Baumbach
Screenplay by Noah Baumbach
Acting by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson