married life (2007)
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Director: Ira Sachs
Lead: Pierce Brosnan
Co-Star: Chris Cooper
Genre: Crime/Drama/Romance
Runtime: 90mins
Rating: M
Stars: 3
This movie is just odd. The storyline seemed enormously fanciful to me and I found it dragging on a little - but I absolutely loved its sense of style. The slow melodic music and the narration of Pierce Brosnan as Richard was just sublime. So why did I leave the cinema not entire satisfied by what I had just seen?
We start with Harry (Chris Cooper) meeting his friend Richard (Brosnan) for lunch. It is one of those long liquid lunched that were probably common in the 1940s and 1950s. Harry has come to tell his bachelor friend that he is no longer in love with his wife and plans to leave her for a new woman named Kay (Rachel McAdams). Richard had never thought Harry's marriage was a bad one - but he realises why Harry is smitten when the bottle blond with bright red lips arrives to join them for lunch. Richard soon desires Kay too - and we set out on what will be a little rollercoaster ride for this group of friends.
Richard sets in motion his plan to take Kay away from Harry, and also to undermine Harry's resolve to leave his wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson). Harry is working out how he can leave her - to the point where he considers murdering her to save her the pain of a divorce - a mercy killing with some bizarre logic. Oddly enough, Pat is also carrying on an affair with family friend John and wants out of the relationship just as much - but she doesn't want to hurt Harry.
The performances are mixed. Brosnan is excellent as the smarmy Richard; although Harry seemed a little too wooden for my liking - but there is every possibility that he was supposed to be portrayed in this light. The one thing that does stand out is the amount of passion that is portrayed in this story without anyone ever raising their voice. Check it out on DVD when it gets released.
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