The Reality of Divorce With Noah Baumbach

In his brilliant film “Marriage Story,” Noah Baumbach compares divorce to death without a body. There has been a loss. Denial, rage, and grief are all present. The insidious nature of divorce and how two well-meaning individuals who still care about each other will do things they would never believe they would do are captured by Baumbach in his intimate and moving movie.

You can’t possibly be the kind of person to use a secret as leverage in a divorce proceeding, can you? You wouldn’t use a child’s opposition to a parent to your advantage, would you? Other people carry out actions like that. Baumbach shows divorce as a great equalizer, transforming us into versions of ourselves we didn’t expect to become, doing so with surprising grace and compassion for his characters.

 

Each of Baumbach’s protagonists reads a piece they prepared for a mediator in the opening scene that focuses on the positive aspects of their relationship. As a result, we learn more about Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), who enjoys playing with her kid Henry, spends a lot of time caring for her mother and sister, and never closes a cabinet. Charlie (Adam Driver) is a talented and imaginative theatre director who is dedicated to his work. He is very competitive and eats as though someone is going to grab his meal. These particulars may appear insignificant, but they demonstrate the level of specificity present throughout “Marriage Story.” Baumbach wants to get this divorce narrative absolutely right; he is not interested in a movie that depicts all divorce stories.

And this is very much a domestic drama, despite some unexpected humor. There have been a few splits in the past, but this one seems to be permanent as Nicole takes their son to Los Angeles to film a pilot. In accordance with the advice of her powerful attorney Nora, when Charlie pays a visit, she gives the documents (Laura Dern). As soon as Charlie learns that Nicole wants to go to L.A. with their son, there is a significant power struggle between the two of them. He is continually juggling the increasingly heated events in L.A. with the play he is trying to present in New York. And everyone begins to split apart and take on other forms.

It would have been so simple to create a version of this tale with a clear antagonist, one that would have allowed us to support a particular result. The reality that there is no “good” outcome in divorce is what Baumbach is examining. Rarely is it possible to satisfy everyone’s needs. Nicole is essentially attempting to abduct Charlie’s boy and take him to the other side of the nation, even though Charlie cheated and ignored Nicole’s needs. Some people will choose a side, but I firmly feel that the film works better if you can see both Nicole and Charlie’s good and bad sides.

And with these outstanding results, it’s simple to accomplish that. Driver and Johansson have both previously excelled, but this marks a new high point in their respective careers as they honor Baumbach’s faith in them with a challenging and emotional performance. They both perform admirably throughout, but they each get a “scene” on their own—Nicole gives a background speech when she first meets Nora, and Charlie gives a magnificent one at a bar near the end—and a scene together, the major altercation that we never anticipate occurring with our partners. the one where we speak inappropriately. one where everything is permanently altered.

Although Baumbach’s talent with an ensemble cast has grown over the years and this is his best work, the two leads are the movie’s main characters. In supporting roles, notable actors including Merritt Wever, Wallace Shawn, and Ray Liotta appear. Alan Alda also makes a remarkable appearance as Charlie’s lawyer, an old soul who has experienced the sorrow divorce can bring (he’s gone through three of them). Then there is Dern, who keeps asserting her position as one of the top working actresses. Even she is given a “scene” that completely destroys the house; it is about the gender imbalance in how divorced women and men are presented.

The Squid and the Whale, a 2005 movie by Baumbach, is mainly about his parents’ divorce. That was seen through the eyes of a child. It appears that he has evolved enough to the point where he is willing to consider the opposing viewpoint almost 15 years later. And if that movie had a noticeable amount of wrath, this one feels much more sympathetic and aware of human frailty—the work of a wise, accomplished director. Every moment of this movie makes it clear that Baumbach adores Nicole and Charlie. And we grow to care deeply for them as well. As we bid them farewell, we wish them both happiness as they move on to a new chapter of their lives after the loss of their marriage.