When Katie walks in on Ben as he is spilling secrets about his marriage to a strange woman, she accuses him of having an affair. We were just talking, Ben protests. But to Katie, talking to another woman about the intimate problems in one's marriage is as much a betrayal as a one-night stand. Over lunch, Katie and her two girlfriends gossip about marital infidelity. Across town, Ben is eating with two buddies.
Society needs to loosen up.
But The Story of Us should not be dismissed out of hand. Katie and Ben were happy once. They met when she was a secretary in his office, and both were carefree and fun. And now they find themselves caught in a morass, having the same fight over and over. They've tried everything, including counseling and a romantic trip to Europe, but their marriage has deteriorated to the point that they can't even make small talk at dinner.