A Esposa

It's getting more and more difficult these days to find stories as well written, directed and acted as "The Wife." This gem of a film is a profound character exploration that managed to make me forget about script sctructure completely (which other screenwriters know is very hard to do when you live and breathe screenplays), and simply enjoy the intense psychological ride. There are a couple soft spots (narrative wise) that prevented me from going all 10-stars on this film, but it got as close as there is. And OH MY GOD, what amazing actors are Glenn Close and Anthony Pryce. There's a scene right near the end of the film in which their vulnerability is almost palpable. They went all-in with these characters, and it payed off. Standing ovation for those two.

Quick suggestion: go watch this film without seeing the trailer. It will be a better experience if you know nothing about the plot. I watched the trailer beforehand and it ruined an important plot twist for me.

Greetings again from the darkness. THE STEPFORD WIVES was stocked with some men's ideal of the perfect spouse ... attractive, dutiful, always ready to serve. In director Bjorn Runge's adaptation of the novel by Meg Wolitzer (screenplay by Jane Anderson), Joan Castleman is all of that and more as she constantly caters to her literary giant of a husband, writer Joe Castleman. It's 1992 in coastal Connecticut, and in only a few days, things will change dramatically for Mr. and Mrs. Castleman.

When we first meet this long married couple, they are in bed - she's sleeping soundly, while he's full of anxiety and anticipation over a phone call that may or may not happen. See, Joe is up for the Nobel Prize in Literature, and when the early morning call from Stockholm does come, Joe eagerly prompts Joan to listen in on the extension (it's 1992, so these are land lines). As the authoritative voice on the other end announces Joe's prize, it's the look on Joan's face that tells us that, for her, this is no celebratory moment. The facial expression is quite powerful, and it's our first inclination that 6 time Oscar nominee Glenn Close (as Joan Castleman) is delivering a performance as memorable as her work in DANGEROUS LIASONS and FATAL ATTRACTION (only this time there's no bunny).

Jonathan Pryce is spot on as the narcissistic Joe Castleman. He's clearly addicted to the pedestal upon which he sits and the corresponding adoration from worshipping fans. He's the type of guy who thinks he's doing Joan a favor by mentioning her in his speeches and calling her over to be part of his oh-so-important conversations. But as good as Mr. Pryce is, this is a tour de force from Ms. Close. She's always a step ahead of her husband - finding his glasses, ensuring he takes his pills, and monitoring his diet and sleep. It's the Nobel Prize phone call that stirred some long-suppressed feelings; lighting a fuse that will leave us anxiously awaiting the fireworks.

Max Irons (Jeremy's son) plays an aspiring writer and son to Joe and Joan. David's bitterness towards his father is evident throughout and his desperate attempts to gain his father's respect are nothing short of heart-breaking. Christian Slater plays Nathaniel Bone, a would-be biographer of Joe Castleman ... if only Joe would give him the time of day. Nathaniel is often quite intrusive in his pursuit of the truth - at least what he hopes it would be since it would make a fantastic book. Karin Franz Korlof plays Linnea, a young photographer assigned to Joe during the Sweden trip. It's an odd role as none of the other winners have their own photographer ... but not as odd as the small talk amongst the various category Nobel winners. Those scenes, and the verbal exchanges, are as awkward as one might imagine.

Director Runge utilizes flashbacks to 1958 Smith College to provide us a foundation and narrative for the relationship between Joe and Joan. She was once a budding star writer under the tutelage of the young, married professor. Her flirting, babysitting and writing all worked to win Joe over, and they were soon married. Young Joe the professor is played by Harry Lloyd (great-great-great grandson of Charles Dickens), and young Joan is played beautifully by Annie Stark (Glenn Close's real life daughter). These early days and an encounter with a broken female writer (played terrifically by Elizabeth McGovern) lead Joan to surrender her writing dreams and put her support behind her husband. Shooting down the purity of "a writer must write", McGovern's beaten down character instead says "a writer has to be read".

Glenn Close will likely receive much Oscar chatter for her role. Her transformation from dutiful sidekick to self-enlightenment is a performance laden with subtle and nuanced signs of resentment. Her early disquiet could be compared to a volcano - the inside building towards eruption while the outside remains strong and majestic. Living a lie never becomes truth ... even after 30 plus years.

This is an exceptionally compelling critique of patriarchal society, and plays out like one of the great feminist tracts. The couple's surname is Castleman (the man of the castle). The acting is sensational from everyone, especially the two leads. I don't think Jonathan Pryce is getting enough credit for his performance: in some ways he has the harder role as the supreme manipulator. And the beautiful Glenn Close gives a heartbreaking Oscar-worthy portrayal of dutiful simmering repression and inequality. Without wanting to give too much away, there is a twist which could've seemed far-fetched were it not so well-handled. A clever, emotionally draining watch that'll stay with you long afterwards. 10/10.

I thought The Wife (2017) was good however not great. The ensemble cast for the most part give fine performances. Glenn Close's performance as Joan Castleman is outstanding with a finely balanced display of emotions from a woman who has been cast in the shadow of her husband's greatness. However, Jonathan Price as the celebrated author Joseph Castleman is not as convincing and lacks the skill and power of an actor like Close. One wonders whether other actors (such as Sean Connery) might have been better suited to the task. The Castleman's son, David (Ben Irons), adds to the tensions within the family however more could have been made of this to expose the brutal behaviour of his father, Joseph. Christian Slater has a great time playing the sleazy would be biographer, Nathaniel Bone. Some of the cinematography is spectacular, especially the aerial shots of Stockholm and in particular the long and swooping camera shot of Glenn Close's face in the last moments of the movie in the hotel room. This movie is worth seeing for Close's performance alone. The storyline of a decades' long charade unraveling is captivating.

Really nice movie with great performances. I don't understand why or how Glenn didn't win this time smh.