Review of The Wife (2017) by Laura S — 31 Oct 2018

Haven't seen a great character study in a while and showing what family life is like for those living with a narcissist, and their pursuit if greatness, is fascinating. Glenn Close is amazing in this role. I also saw Lady Gaga in A Star is Born, and while I think she is probably the favorite to win the Oscar, I would say Glenn Close deserves it more since this role is just raw, vulnerable acting without having song and dance to fall back on. I also think Jonathan Pryce deserves recognition for his effective and measured performance playing a bastard-but I don't think he'll get it.

Speaking of how narcissism impacts families, I think one of the most telling scenes in this film was during the Nobel Prize festivities when Jonathan Pryce's character, who was winning the prize for literature, met a fellow winner for physics. They introduced their spouses and children to each other and each effectively insulted their kids. Jonathan Pryce saying his son (played by Max Irons) was just 'finding his voice' in writing and the physics winner mentioning how one of his sons was working on something with string theory, but he was out of his league/element. The physics winner's daughter also constantly chewed her hair. This part of the film strongly suggests that a those seeking this type of career excellence all tend to be sociopathic, and while the world celebrates those achievements, those closest to them are a mess due to a lifetime of neglect and emotional abuse. I think this is one of the most important scenes in understanding narcissists and how they suck the energy out of anyone unlucky enough to have a personal relationship with them.