Marriage Story is a movie about the real life struggles of divorce — and in this review I will explain why I think every couple should watch it. Even though it might be hard to get through.
Marriage Story perfectly encompasses the real life struggle that people go through when getting divorced. I am not divorced myself, but I am a child of divorce, so I have seen first hand how it impacts families. This movie gave me all of the feels and I found myself crying several times. It also brought back memories of my childhood, and I often related to the son, Henry.
Charlie, played by Adam Driver, is a director, and Nicole, played by Scarlett Johansson, is an actress. Their paths crossed in LA and they fell in love. After relocating to New York, they had a son, Henry. Marriage Story is the story of the end of their marriage. It starts off with them in counseling, and quickly evolves into Nicole serving Charlie divorce papers.
Things get nasty when they hire divorce lawyers that bring it to the next level. Throughout the film we learn the ways that they have hurt each other, but also why they fell in love with each other. Their son seems to be torn in two sometimes as he has to go between his mother and father — he is never asked to choose a side, but he feels like he has to. I know, because I have been there myself.
Why Every Couple Should Watch Marriage Story
I have to be honest here, watching Marriage Story with your spouse or significant other might be hard. It will probably be really hard. To see a couple fighting, and struggling to even look at each other… to watch a couple breaking up… Well, you can imagine just how awkward that might be to watch with the person that you love.
However, there are moments in this movie, glimpses in this movie, of happiness. While the end result is divorce, viewers learn why these two fell in love. So if, God forbid, you ever end up in the same shoes as these two, perhaps you will think back to how and why you fell in love. And maybe, just maybe, you will make it easier on each other. And not go the bitter route. Not attack each other and use your child as leverage to hurt each other.
Overall Thoughts
Marriage Story is a fantastic movie. The entire cast hits it out of the park with their performances. Adam Driver is phenomenal, as always, and Scarlett Johansson is just as good. I felt for both of them. I saw where each of them were coming from and I absolutely hated what they were going through. Tears were shed, and I even got angry a few times.
Divorce is messy. It can get petty, and it hurts all parties involved. Marriage Story perfectly brings all of these things into this movie. It shows the true side of divorce. The love, the hate, and all of the in between. Viewers are sure to feel for both Charlie and Nicole, in the end, wanting them to just be happy. Even if it is apart.
About Marriage Story
A stage director and his actor wife struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes.
Watch Marriage Story on Netflix now.
Tessa Smith is a Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer-approved Film and TV Critic. On Camera personality and TV / Film Critic with 10+ years of experience in video editing, writing, editing, moderating, and hosting.