Newlyweds

Despite treading in those dangerous waters of 'a newly married couple's love and trust being put to the test' Newlyweds is a surprisingly comfortable film to watch.

Edward Burns is the Writer/Director/Actor/Tea & Sandwich Maker & etc. playing genial Buzzy. With his reedy voice and understated charm Burns reminds me of Gene Kelly - who he physically resembles but for an extra twelve inches in height. He's a regular guy working as a trainer at a gym. He has a prim, young and well-to-do wife, Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald). We're informed early on that despite the fact they don't see much of each other the relationship thrives on this. We have to be told the fact because we don't actually see it in the 90 minute span of the film. Still, you have to bear it in mind as one of the questions the film poses is rather like that old joke: Should a married couple be Frank and Earnest? ("No, one of them should be a girl!" is the answer they give in Utah). For despite being newlyweds they are safe and contented. Their personalities and personal situations don't seem to allow for doubt and jealousy, drama and, perhaps, passion. And as neither is particularly big on self-analysis or inveterately curious about the other much has been left untouched and undiscovered. There is a lot of talk about 'telling the truth' and being 'honest' while wordlessly asking the question 'about what?' The major catalyst comes in the shape of Buzzy's sister Linda who has come to New York from the west coast to get an old boyfriend back (played by Kerry Bishé – who wins a gold star on her resume for a terrifically deft portrayal of a girl who's immature, unstable, provocative, self absorbed, heartbroken and a dozen more things I can't think of the words for). Throw in Katie's ex husband and her bickering sister and spouse and you have a tight ensemble cast who seem to be having a lot of fun with their characters and manage to present them in a way that allows us to criticize them but never come near to hating them.

Something I love about the film: Burns has developed the Annie Hall faux documentary interviews to a new level that follow relevant scenes to behave rather like the person's conscience speaking. I know Kurt Vonnegut had a gripe about writers telling us what a person thinks but I've never had a problem with it (if a writer can tell us what underwear someone is wearing they can sure as hell tell us what they're thinking). But how do you do it in film? Having every character doing voice-overs would be dumb. So while we might wonder what the real motives of characters are in some of the emotional exchanges the 'interviews' act as a clarifying narrative. OK, I'm assuming they are telling the truth as far as they see it. I'm assuming a lot. That's the way it came across to me. And this has an intriguing effect on the way you feel (I felt) about the outcome. You may not be sure how all of the plot lines are going to unfold but you don't dread a negative outcome due to these personality building blocks that give it all a sense of karma.

This is the most accomplished of Burns' films that I've seen. It has a grace and polish that makes me disbelieve stories of how quickly it was made. Surely there was a lot of workshop rehearsal work before shooting? Good film making just can't be this easy.

(7.5, rounded up)

Newlyweds is a tale of trashed boundaries, intertwined sloppiness, romantic yearning and object lessons among two couples, assorted relatives and exes in NYC, specifically Tribeca.

Buzzy (writer/director Ed Burns and Katie (Caitlyn FitzGerald) are newlyweds who learned from chaotic first marriages. They own small businesses and are more sunny and self-aware than their sisters, Buzzy's feral little sister Linda (Kerry Bishé), and Katie's bitter older sis Marsha (Marsha Dietlein).

Buzzy trains Marsha's husband Max at his gym. Sort of.; mainly Max comes to gripe about his wife and bemoan the sex he's not getting.

Max idolizes Buzzy, a fit, funny, guy's guy who curses warmly, and, unlike Max, has an even-keeled, gorgeous spouse who appreciates him.

Linda's drop-in from LA becomes the wrench in Katie and Buzzy's gears. Within 48 hours, Linda's passive-aggressive houseguest-from-hell havoc has Katie's teeth on edge and Buzzy backpedaling like a stranger in his own marriage.

Marsha, meanwhile, projects her misery on the stressed newlyweds and Buzzy in particular, who symbolizes all lying, doggish men in her eyes.

Linda chases down another newlywed: her ex Miles, whose weeks-old marriage she's flown in to destroy. Drunk, narcissistic and grabby...she's the younger, female mirror of Katie's actor ex Dara, another vain and irresponsible fantasist.

Meet your ghost of Christmas future, kid.

Marsha is threatened by Buzzy-who stole her sister, and dares to be cheerful. Linda envies Katie, who not only has her life together but can't be trumped on looks or style...oh, the humanity.

Whose denial about their obnoxious sister is deeper? Buzzy defends Linda with a distant oldest's guilt; Katie defends 'good person' Marsha with fierce, if myopic, devotion. Maybe hot loyalty about their sisters doth protest too much?

Which newlywed gets unrealistic first? Katie for insisting Buzzy tell her *absolutely everything*, down to Max's confidences and Linda's indiscretions...omitting what she holds back.

Or Buzzy, who chides Katie with a parallel about the 'anything goes' attitude of guy friends...the difference being, Katie and Linda are in-law strangers, not friends. Case in point, 'paranoid' Katie doesn't even try to tell Buzzy how rude and hostile Linda is when the two of them are alone.

Linda can apologize to Miles, but not Katie. Marsha treats Buzzy like riffraff, though he's gentleman enough to ignore her barrage of insults.

Kettles, meet pots. Everyone in Newlyweds has an object lesson, a nemesis and maybe even the inspiration they need, viewed in the right light.

I won't spoil the funny lines and fine messes of Newlyweds. The writing feels fresh and natural, the characters are just screwball enough, and I really wish Ed Burns had given us a sequel.

In NY, Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katie (Caitlin FitzGerald) are in their newlywed bliss. It's both their second marriage. Her sister Marsha is constantly fighting with her 18 year husband Max. Buzzy gives Katie's loser ex-husband Dara a charity vacuum cleaner to sell. The couple is surprised by the arrival of his half-sister Linda (Kerry Bishé) from LA. Katie had never met her. She has come across the country on a whim to stop her ex Miles from getting married. Her irresponsible ways start affecting the newlyweds.

Edward Burns delivers an ultra low budget indie. He uses the faux documentary concept. It is surprisingly well made. The characters are fun. He's trying for Woody Allen adjacent. It's not big laughs but it's loads of fun. I really like the Burns FitzGerald chemistry. FitzGerald is funny as frantic. Their struggles are endearing. It's one of Burns' better work.

Buzzy O'Rourke (Edward Burns) has married a wealthy divorcée, Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) fairly recently and with some haste. A divorced gentleman himself, Buzzy didn't want to wait a long period of time to find the marital bliss he didn't have the first time around. They are living happily in Tribeca Manhattan and tell viewers in testimonies that having opposite work schedules helps them find enough space to remain smitten. Yet, this is soon short lived. Buzz has a crazy younger sister, Linda (Sherry Bishe) who just shows up from Los Angeles for an extended vacation. Right away, she loses a valuable coat of Katie's, having not prepared for the climate change and then leaving it at the home of a "one night stand". Unknown to her brother, however, Linda is pursuing a lost love, whose marriage proposal she once turned down. Now, he looks good but, shocker, he just married someone else. Yet, Linda still goes after him. Then, Katie's independent sister, who has been married for twenty years, suddenly breaks with her hubby, Max (Max Baker), when he starts flirting with a client. Now, she wants to bunk with the Newlyweds as well. On top of everything else, Katie's ex-husband shows up periodically for rent money, if he's short. This swirling dramatics is rendering marital discord for this second time around couple. Will Buzzy and Katie be able to keep the bliss alive? This viewer adores Ed Burns and believes him to be far overlooked in the Motion Picture Industry. He acts, he writes, he directs, all with great skill. As in all of his others, the setting is Manhattan and its unique appeal. Its depiction of the somewhat harried denizens is handled deftly by the cast, despite being mostly unfamiliar thespians. Costumes, script, and terrific direction make Burn's latest offering shine. Yes, this viewer ultimately believes Looking for Kitty and The Brothers McMullen his best works. BUT, all of Ed B's movies are gems so don't miss this latest work; make time for it NOW.

The opening scene of "Newlyweds" looks like it could have come out of any Woody Allen movie (or "Husbands and Wives" to be more specific). Two couples are sitting in a restaurant discussing the various ins and outs of married life. And then they turn to the camera and start saying what they really think. The editing from typical romantic dramedy-styled scenes to documentary-styled scenes is where the comedy comes in.

It's a smart comedy where the humour is born from the characters and the dialogue. Buzzy (Edward Burns) and Katie (Caitlin Fitzgerald) are in their first year of marriage and are trying to be down-to-Earth and realistic about it. Communication and not spending much time with each other is key. On the converse, Buzzy's best friend Max and Katie's sister Marsha are in their eighteenth year of marriage and they are disgusted by Buzzy and Katie's attitude. Marsha can't stand Buzzy and that's what it all comes down to.

I was originally a little put-off by the documentary-styled revelations and worried that an entire movie about the differences between two couples would become irritating quickly. But that's exactly when a new wrench was thrown into the mix in the form of Linda (Kerry Bishé), Buzzy's sister. In the beginning we had husband versus sister-in-law where somehow the sister managed to keep herself on the side of "right", but now we have wife versus sister-in-law and nobody is going to get out of that catfight unscathed.

I was constantly delighted with how each character would respond to Linda's antics – which involves a lot of guy-obsessed drunken behaviour. Their passive-aggressive covers devolved into semi-aggressive acts. And just like in "Carnage", it still remains funny.

I wouldn't be surprised if some people take offense to the writing of the female characters in this film as they were all despicable in their own way. Edward Burns' Buzzy was the only one written so "cool" that he remained likable and sympathetic throughout, or at least to me.

I've been an Edward Burns fan since "The Brothers McMullen" (1995) and it's impressive how he keeps letting his writing shine through. Made for only $9,000 "Newlyweds" is on the skimp side of settings and shot set-ups, but as this proves you really only need a handful of characters who come to life to make a good film.