Married Life

In 1949, the middle-aged executive Harry (Chris Cooper) and his wife Pat Allen (Patricia Clarkson) are the example of a happily married couple. One day, Harry invites his best friend, the bachelor Richard Langley (Pierce Brosnan), to have lunch with him and Harry tells him that he is in love with the widow Kay Nesbitt (Rachel McAdams). However, he is afraid to ask the divorce to Pat that would have her heart broken. When Kay joins them for having lunch, Richard feels attracted by the sexy woman. Sooner Richard accidentally discovers that Pat has a love affair with an acquaintance, but he does not disclose the situation to Harry or Pat, otherwise he would not have any chance with Kay. Richard dates Kay in many occasions as a friend trying to convince her that Harry would never leave his wife. Meanwhile Harry blends Pat's antiacid with poison expecting to kill her and spare his wife from the humiliation of a divorce. But when Kay breaks with Harry, he realizes that he has just lost his mistress, his best friend and probably his wife.

"Married Life" is a cynical film about the hypocrite relationships among the husband, his wife, his younger mistress and his best friend with a disappointing ending. Narrated by the best friend, the melodramatic story could be shorter and have a better conclusion with black-humor instead of the conventional one. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Vida de Casado" ("Married Life")

Married Life is set in 1949; the story opens into a picturesque, affluent suburb where Harry Allen (Chris Cooper) resides with his wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson). But there's trouble brewing beyond the perfect picket fences. Harry has fallen deeply in love with a blonde beauty named Kay (Rachel McAdams). He confesses his secret to his longtime bachelor friend, Richard (Pierce Brosnan), and even introduces Richard to the lovely Kay. Unfortunately for Harry, Richard is instantly smitten, and makes up his mind that he will do whatever it takes to win Kay for himself. Harry, meanwhile, continues to plot ways to escape his marriage, though he fears leaving Pat will destroy her. He soon decides the most humane thing would be to dispose of her the old-fashioned way, with the aid of a little poison. While he debates on when to make his move, we learn that Pat actually has a few secrets of her own. Married Life is a very clever take on the trials and tribulations of marriage. It's a dramatic piece that shows what people do for love and the extreme lengths they go so that they can be with someone. One can never truly know what is going trough their partner's mind and people will always have secrets. The film has a very tense atmosphere and could be just as easily described as a psychological thriller. Visually, the film is stunning and the recreation of the era is mesmerizing. The set design is tremendous and so are the costumes. However, the film biggest strength relies undeniably in the extremely talented cast. Chris Cooper is terrific, specially in the second and third act of the film. Rachel Mcadams is adorable as usual and Pierce Brosnan is very charming. Patricia Clarkson also delivered a very solid performance. Overall, a beautifully crafted and highly entertaining film.

7.5/10

Saw this last night at the premiere, and "Straight to Betamax" could not be more wrong. This is actually the first intelligent, smart and wonderfully acted film of the year, and both Patricia Clarkson and Chris Cooper give wonderful performances in a story which is intriguingly told and compellingly filmed.

I will agree with a few others that Pierce Brosnan seems a bit miscast in this picture, but not to the point that it ruins the film. Additionally, some of Rachel McAdams' dialogue seems a bit out of place for a character like her's during the period in which this story is set (it is supposed to take place in 1949), but she gives a great performance overall and her character is, for the most part (other than a few bad bits of out of place dialogue) fairly believable.

But Cooper and Clarkson are really wonderful in this film and Ira Sachs and company have done a terrific job with this story. Bravo.

Ira Sachs's dark comedy 'Married Life' is an intriguing little film set in the 40s/50s. Dealing with complex relations, it somewhat portrays the men as selfish and the female as hungry for love...but there are layers and it's not all so black and white. What's also interesting is the unusual cast that includes Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper and a refreshing Rachel McAdams. Though the pairing between McAdams and Brosnan is awkward, the chemistry works better between her and Cooper. Brosnan seems miscast but not to the extent that it ruins the film experience. McAdams is beautiful and pulls off her part quite well but it is Clarkson and Cooper who give the best performances. I'm also surprised that people have taken this film too seriously (to the point that they missed the humour which I thought was creatively done and hilarious). The element of drama is there but how could one miss the comedy? Sach's writing is superb and the direction is solid. I liked how the events unfold and Coopers's character's attempts to get what he wants and his surprise reaction towards the unexpected results. I find the title a little misleading. Yes, the film is about a 'dying' marriage and its complexities but the title is a little too vague and the film focuses on much more than marriage. The score gracefully brings the feel of the 40s. Overall, Sachs has made a clever unconventional black comedy in a period piece.

I love MARRIED LIFE!! It is a well crafted and beautifully written movie. By appearing to be a traditional noir, the film plays on the audience's expectations of the genre but then turns out to be something very different--something far more sad, funny and soulful. By having the traditional voice-over and haunting music at the outset, MARRIED LIFE subverts the viewer's expectations and draws us into a story that is utterly unique.

Characters in the film are not whom they appear to be--I like how all the leads are introduced as archetypes (e.g., the unhappily married business man, the cad, the long suffering wife, the pretty young widow) but each not only turns out to be different than expected, all four go through some sort of transition that deepens their humanity. They may be imperfect people and lacking in insight, but the audience feels empathy for their struggles. Given their array of poor choices, this is pretty amazing--their yearnings are poignant, even when their actions are deeply misguided. Humans are capable of being incredibly narcissistic and giving at the same time--the movie illustrates this with a mix of humor and pathos. The characters may be unable or unwilling to stop their most primal urges, yet we are rooting for them to find some happiness all the way to the end.

This film is wonderfully shot. Period details are rendered with loving care--whether it is the glorious costumes or the sweeping set design. Performances are top notch -- a true ensemble cast who look and sound like they are from a bygone era. A rich score magnifies the shifting moods without giving you whiplash. This is a complex movie that demands we see the world in shades of gray -- life is never simple. Especially married life!