Full of love despite being about a divorce.

Rating: 7/10 (29 November 2019)

'Marriage Story (2019)' is full of love despite being about a divorce, taking time to establish that its focal couple don't stop caring about one another just because their marriage has drifted to an end. The piece is chock full of emotion, ranging from domestic bliss to raging agony, and it's ultimately rather nuanced, maintaining a sly sense of humour throughout most scenes. There are no winners or losers, just fallible people fumbling through their upturned lives. In this way, the affair is rather refreshing. It tells a simple tale with (comparatively) small stakes but makes it utterly compelling, equally as heart-wrenching as hopeful. The two leads are at the top of their game, proving you don't need a lightsaber or a leather suit to truly connect with an audience. Indeed, you don't need them - or any other weapons - to craft what's nearly the most devastating fight scene of the year. The experience is pretty universal, something often experienced but rarely seen, and it's incredibly effective. It's also rather affecting, hitting home hard on a number of occasions. There's not much else to say: it's a well-made and engaging drama that deserves to be seen. This sort of thing doesn't grace the big screen as often as it should, which is why it's a shame that it has been relegated to a limited release before its Netflix debut. Its only flaw is that the occasionally over-played, mile-a-minute screenplay doesn't always give its events enough time to berate - though, it often does - and that its 'both sides' perspective sort of leads to a film of two halves in which you don't fully connect with either party because you tend to leave their perspective. The screenplay is great and you do care about the characters, don't get me wrong. It's just that those areas are clearly weak-spots - minor weak-spots but weak-spots nevertheless. Overall, the movie is great. If you own Netflix, you've no reason to skip it. 7/10