Review of Married Life (2008) by Joel M — 29 Sep 2008

Probably the scariest movie title of the year! Kidding! "Married Life" satirizes the constant secrecy and everyday hypocrisy of the nuptials. The film stars Chris Cooper and Patricia Clarkson as Harry & Pat Allen, an upper-middle class middle-age couple in the 1940's.

Try to say that 10 times! Harry is having an affair with the voluptuous Kay played by the voluptuous Rachel McAdams; so one can say that Harry is an avid fan of those Not-Married Kay Cosmetics. However, Pat does has secrets of her own which I stand "pat" not to reveal at this time.

Did I mention that Harry wants to poison Pat? Oh, did I give away too much or was that my poison pen talking? Anyways, we continue the "Married Life". Here comes Dick, in the form of Richard Langley (played by Pierce Brosnan) who is Harry's best friend who has a manipulative & suave plan to take his Kay from Harry and eat her too.

Yes, "Married Life" is probably based on a zillion true stories of adultery, egoism, and manipulation that transpire in marriages. By setting the film in the 40's, Director Ira Sachs gives the film a different generational take on the marriage mischievousness but with the same self-centered overtones.

Sachs did a commendable job in his direction, but his dry screenplay with co-scripter Oren Moverman should have been annulled from the start. Our esteemed acting "cuatreros" (Cooper, Clarkson, McDormand, Brosnan) were positively "thespianly" committed to their characters in "Married Life" but I have seen better character relationships from these great actors in previous roles.

The film "Married Life" is pretty much like marriage itself: exciting and discoverable in the beginning but mediocre and monotonous in the end. *** Average.