Newlyweds

It actually took us three goes to complete the viewing of the Burn's indy gem. Quite Allenesque in it's deep examination and joy in the the humour of everyday relationships. Superbly acted, interestingly shot, but most importantly, very truthful. A normal couple gets turned every which way with Shakesperean ease and we can relate to the finesse of dealing with family. Burns was type-cast, but his supporting cast were tremendous. Delighted to see the range from Bishé (who I loved watching in Halt and Catch Fire). I think the title is rather disappointing. Worth opening a good bottle of wine for and enjoying with the love of your life.

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.

Though I've spent much of my life enjoying and at times worshiping Woody Allen I've never actually related to his film's characters. But I did relate to the people in this film by Ed Burns. I enjoyed the drama and laughed my ass off at the realities of it all. And the low budget, shot on a shoestring, added to the charm.

The film has a simple premise, a newlywed couple spend a couple of days of drama with the wacky in-laws and then must come to terms with their own relationship and it's newly discovered quirks.

I love the in camera, documentary-style confessions of the characters. It allows for added depth and contrast to what the audience sees. And the performances are dead on. No wooden acting. Very fresh and real dialog with a quick moving story.

The last Ed Burns' film I saw was She's The One, and then after seeing Confidence I kinda lost track of him. I am glad I saw this film, just to know that he's still doing quality stories. Now I gotta go back and see what I've missed.

Highly recommended to those who miss the character and heart in the current big budget crap coming out of Hollywood. Kudos to Ed Burns and crew.

(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.

I like indie movies like this on small budgets. Minus his voice(kidding), I like, Edward Burns, his writer/director roles. This movie shows that one doesn't need big budgets and high priced music scores to invoke emotion. I felt for the couple who has to have their respective sisters' stay with them. The dialogue was real, authentic, so were situations some of us can relate to. It was a everyday sort of film then a Hollywood romantic comedy, or even a NY style comedy - you know the ones that are made in NY, with the characters live in expensive dwellings, five steps up from the pavement, have high paying jobs(in advertising), finds the girl/guy of their dreams(who is poor maybe),walk around a lot with music, throw in some unrealistic drama for good measure, and happy ending. This is not one of those movies. This is a story about a husband and wife on their second marriage and their respective sisters, and what happens over a period of a week. How they deal with their marriage. Sound boring. It isn't. I didn't like the documentary style interviews in between, but it seems to work here just right. The entire caste was great, job well done. Another thing I like was there was no drawn out scenes on landscape, nature, water etc, to set the mood for whats to come, or (piano) music to invoke emotion. The were no dull or boring moments of the camera panning or lingering. The ending was great. Happy or sad, how one takes it, but I loved it. All with US$9000 and a Canon SLR camera.