Review of The Wife (2017) by Richard D — 30 Sep 2018
Glenn Close stars as the wife of novelist Jonathan Pryce who, as the film begins, has found out that he has won the Nobel Prize. They travel to Sweden along with their son Max Irons (Jeremy's son), also an aspiring writer.
We become aware that there is some deep unhappiness at the center of this family. Pryce is vain, selfish and narcissistic, prone to having affairs with younger women. His son craves encouragement that Pryce withholds.
Close seems reserved and somewhat resentful, but also supportive and dedicated to the marriage. Gradually through flashbacks (where Close's daughter Annie Starke plays the younger version) and through the needling of aspiring biographer Christian Slater, we learn there is a bigger, darker secret at the heart of this relationship.
This is a well-made, tasteful film that's an acting tour-de-force from Pryce and Close in particular. She has a very tricky job here of gradually revealing different layers of emotions and she is really magnificent.
This review of The Wife (2017) was written by Richard D on 30 Sep 2018.
The Wife has generally received positive reviews.
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