Moral- Don't Let the Little Stuff Ruin the Big Stuff

Rating: 9/10 (18 December 2019)

This movie is so well acted that you can't help but feel a pit in your stomach as 2 people, who seem to still love each other, hurt each other over and over again.
The bulk of the hurt coming from Charlie occurred prior to the story being told, so he comes off as significantly more sympathetic. It's difficult for Nicole's character to be as sympathetic because we witness the ways she is able to hurt Charlie, and only hear about how Charlie has hurt her in the past. In one culminating outburst, he declares that only being unfaithful to her once was a favor because of how popular he was and how many times he wanted to be unfaithful to her. Still, this outburst comes after his child has been taken away from him, his money is being systematically drained, and his entire career is collapsing- and even then he immediately apologizes for saying it.
They both seem to really like each other, and both claim the other is a good parent, but still they find themselves in a courtroom with lawyers making them each sound like neglectful monsters.
There is a final scene in which Charlie and his son are reading together and Nicole is standing outside the door, and it really crystallizes how great a family they could've been if they could've just been a little less selfish about the little stuff like who gets credit for what and what city they should live in. That scene made me tear up. The moral of the story is, don't let the little stuff ruin the big stuff- which is clearly what these 2 have done.