ReelBob: ‘Marriage Story’ ★★★★½

By Bob Bloom

The opening of “Marriage Story” lulls you into a false sense of optimism, during which Adam Driver’s Charlie and Scarlett Johansson’s Nicole, both in voiceover, extol the virtues of each other as a montage of their lives is shown over their words.

Those scenes are undercut when the movie jumps to a therapist’s office in which we realize what we were hearing was an exercise; a prequel to Charlie and Nicole beginning divorce proceedings.

Charlie and Nicole live in New York. Charlie is a theater director, presenting avant-garde plays that star Nicole, an actress who was born and raised in Los Angeles.

Both have idealized expectations of an easy, no-fuss and amicable end to their marriage. However, real-world concerns dash those naïve notions.

Writer-director Noah Baumbach’s film is a sad feature — a tale about how good intentions are slowly shredded by miscommunications, resentments, selfishness and — most importantly — lawyers.

Complicating everything is the couple’s 8-year-old son, Henry. Nicole, who has been offered the starring role in a television series, wants to take Henry with her when she goes to the West Coast to film her pilot episode.

“We’re a New York family,” Charlie repeatedly tells Nicole, her family — with whom he’s on good terms — and, most of all, the lawyers who get involved in their separation.

Soon, Charlie is begrudgingly spending thousands of dollars, commuting from coast to coast so he can see his son, while feeling confused and overwhelmed by all the advice — most of which is conflicting — fired at him by his lawyers.

Nicole’s lawyer, Nora (a fabulous Laura Dern), a powerful celebrity attorney is urging her to get all she can from Charlie and to do whatever is necessary to keep custody of Henry and establish residence in Los Angeles.

Charlie’s lawyers, Jay (Ray Liotta), a fast-talking, high-priced individual and later, Bert (Alan Alda), a more laid-back, but expensive member of the bar, continually urge him to get down-and-dirty to discredit Nicole so he can win custody of Henry.

Baumbach could be sued for defamation of character by the American Bar Association because of his portrayals of the legal profession. All the lawyers talk over their clients, refusing to heed their wishes.

What began as a cordial split devolves into a nasty, drawn-out affair that drains Charlie and Nicole physically and emotionally.

“Marriage Story” affords Driver and Johansson opportunities to show their dramatic ranges, especially during a one-on-one discussion in which their anger, resentments and pain is exposed. It is a raw and emotional sequence that will bring tears to your eyes.

Dern gives the performance of a lifetime as the cynical Nora, who constantly pushes Nicole to go to war with Charlie. She deserves a supporting actress Academy Award for her characterization.

“Marriage Story” is a melancholy movie that details the trauma of divorce, but it also offers a ray of hope. Life goes on, Baumbach is saying, as festering wounds eventually heal and a new normalcy develops.

“Marriage Story,” will have a limited theatrical release before it debuts on Netflix in early December. It is a film that, no matter if you watch it in a theater or at home, will touch your heart.

I am a founding member of the Indiana Film Journalists Association. My reviews appear at ReelBob (reelbob.com) and Rottentomatoes (www.rottentomatoes.com). I also review Blu-rays and DVDs. I can be reached by email at bobbloomjc@gmail.com or on Twitter @ReelBobBloom. Links to my reviews can be found on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

MARRIAGE STORY 4½ stars out of 5 (R), language, sexual references