Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.Ben and Katie Jordan are a married couple who go through hard times in fifteen years of marriage.
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`The Story of Us' works in many ways. The dynamic between Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer (an actress so wonderful that I can't put into words) is electric. Their non-stop fights are involving, sometimes comical and often painful to watch, but in a good way. There's a scene in the film when Bruce Willis is in a hotel and Michelle Pfeiffer is at home and they call each other back-and-forth, asking meaningless questions when the audience knows they want to talk about their martial problems. It was fascinating to me. Honestly, I have never seen the more successful `When Harry Met Sally ,' sadly, but this film is constantly compared to it since both films were directed by Rob Reiner. Rob Reiner is an eclectic director. He has, virtually, covers all the genres in the business. He has works ranging from romantic comedies (The American President, When Harry Met Sally ) to dramas (A Few Good Men, Ghosts Of Mississippi) to fantasies (The Princess Bride) to suspense thrillers (Misery).
There was some great supportive work from Rob Reiner himself, Rita Wilson and Paul Reiser. There is a scene I remember from the trailer where Rita Wilson is going on a tantrum about her husband's misplacing of toilet paper. I smiled in that scene in the trailer and I laughed out loud during the movie. Interestingly enough, while I liked the couple's bickering, I guess the movie could have been more successful if it wasn't relying so heavily on it, thus keeping this film from being one of the very best of the year. Bruce Willis and Michelle Pfeiffer are, in fact, at the top of their game and I liked their chemistry well enough to give it a strong recommendation.
The leads were great: Willis was really good, Pfeiffer was fantastic (hey, i'm a fan, okay). But, the characters were tough to take. The self-pity was intercut with nice bits of comedy, but it felt like Reiner was cutting from a wake to a pratt-fall on occasions.
The final scenes, with Pfeiffer's frightening display of multi-emotional skill (at once excellent and utterly ghastly), betrayed the characters. Normality was implausibly resumed, and Pfeiffer came across as at fault for taking the whole film to get real, and Willis looked much relieved that she'd taken the sanity pill and he could quit trying to change himself.
And the end was a surprise. I thought there was going to be more: a deeper level of story. But it ended without a sense of closure.
In retrospect, it's easy to assume why it got panned... this is NOT a romantic comedy, although there are comedic elements. Those expecting a Harry/Sally II would be clearly be disappointed. Those expecting some insight to Bruce Willis' marriage, too, would be disappointed. The film is neither of those things.
Of course, had the associations not existed, and the ad campaign refocussed its efforts, the film would be far better respected. That's why time will be very kind to this film.
Not everything works. Some scenes, like the language of the women, are too profanity-laced to sound like real women (making David Mamet's writing seem like Jane Austen by comparison). There's a terrible scene with Willis in a restaurant--unrealistic, unfunny.
Why then recommend the film? Because the agony, the depth of painful emotions, are real. Find a better acting job by Willis or Pfieffer. Find one!!! Can't be done.
Do you not see it? Do you not recognize that this film has one foot firmly planted in the light comedy world, and another foot firmly planted in the incredible realism (almost too realistic) angst of a failing marriage? Do you not see it? Do you not hear Reiner's concerns projected in the scene where Willis requests to Reiser his dream of writing a book on his grandmother--is this not Reiner saying that he WOULD go further with the serious story here, but the audience, too set by his own past achievements, will not let him? Is this not exactly what happened, when _Story of Us_ was released?
Don't be fooled. This is one serious movie. It should be required viewing for all engaged couples. It's a fantastic wake-up call. The circumstances that lead up to the arguments are simplified, but the emotions are raw. I repeat, time will be very kind to this movie.
Bruce and Michelle play the characters so well that it look like they are going through it as well.
I would say that it is worth watching wether you know the situation or just want to watch the movie. It is touchy and funny at the same time.
I wrote at the beginning that my parents went through the same things and I believe that the movie helped them to get through it and they are now doing a lot better and don't fight as often.
Did you know
- TriviaBruce Willis was going through his own divorce from Demi Moore at the time of filming.
- GoofsOn the drive to pick up the kids from camp Ben has his head turned toward Katie, but in the reverse angle Ben is looking straight ahead then turns toward Katie.
- Quotes
Katie: I want to go to Chow Funs
Ben: I thought we agreed we couldn't really talk at Chow Funs
Katie: I know
Ben: Are you saying Chow Funs because you can't face telling the kids? Because if that's why you're saying Chow Funs, don't say Chow Funs
Katie: That's not why I'm saying Chow Funs. Funs, I'm saying Chow Funs because we're an us. There's a history here, and histories don't happen overnight. In Mesopotamia or Ancient Troy there are cities built on top of other cities, but I don't want another city, I like this city. I know what kind of mood your in when you wake up by which eyebrow is higher, and you know I'm a little quiet in the morning and compensate accordingly, that's a dance you perfect over time. And it's hard, it's much harder than I thought it would be, but there's more good than bad and you don't just give up! And it's not for the sake of the children, but God they're great kids aren't they? And we made them, I mean think about that! It's like there were no people there, and then there were people and they grew, and an an an I won't be able to say to some stranger Josh has your hands or remember how Erin threw up at the Lincoln Memorial And I'll try to relax, let's face it, anybody is going to have traits that get on your nerves, I mean, why shouldn't it be your annoying traits, and I know I'm no day at the beach, but I do have a good sense of direction so I can at least find the beach, which isn't a weakness of yours, it's a strength of mine. And God you're a good friend and good friends are hard to find. Charlotte said that in Charlottes Web and I love how you read that to Erin and you take on the voice of Wilber the Pig with such dedication even when your bone tired. That speaks volumes about character! And ultimately, isn't that what it comes down too? What a person is made of? That girl in the pin helmet is still here 'bee boo bee boo' I didn't even know she existed until you and I'm afraid if you leave I may never see her again, even though I said at times you beat her out of me, isn't that the paradox? Haven't we hit the essential paradox? Give and take, push and pull, the yen the yang. The best of times, the worst of times!I think Dickens said it best, 'He could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean', but, doesn't really apply here does it? What I'm trying to say is, I'm saying Chow Funs because, I love you
Ben: Did you hear that kids? Mom wants to go to chow Funs!
- Soundtracks(I) Get Lost
Written and Performed by Eric Clapton
Produced by Eric Clapton
Courtesy of Reprise Records
- How long is The Story of Us?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $50,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $27,100,031
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $9,673,080
- Oct 17, 1999
- Gross worldwide
- $58,900,031
- Runtime1 hour 35 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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