Married Life (2007)

Ira Sachs's dark comedy 'Married Life' is an intriguing little film set in the 40s/50s. Dealing with complex relations, it somewhat portrays the men as selfish and the female as hungry for love...but there are layers and it's not all so black and white. What's also interesting is the unusual cast that includes Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper and a refreshing Rachel McAdams. Though the pairing between McAdams and Brosnan is awkward, the chemistry works better between her and Cooper. Brosnan seems miscast but not to the extent that it ruins the film experience. McAdams is beautiful and pulls off her part quite well but it is Clarkson and Cooper who give the best performances. I'm also surprised that people have taken this film too seriously (to the point that they missed the humour which I thought was creatively done and hilarious). The element of drama is there but how could one miss the comedy? Sach's writing is superb and the direction is solid. I liked how the events unfold and Coopers's character's attempts to get what he wants and his surprise reaction towards the unexpected results. I find the title a little misleading. Yes, the film is about a 'dying' marriage and its complexities but the title is a little too vague and the film focuses on much more than marriage. The score gracefully brings the feel of the 40s. Overall, Sachs has made a clever unconventional black comedy in a period piece.

Fmovies: With Married Life, director Ira Sachs has pulled off a cinematic hat trick of the highest order. This marvelous new movie manages to be at once droll comedy, gripping suspense drama, and stylish 1940s period piece. As light-hearted film noir, it leaves the viewer guessing from start to finish. Sex! Murder! Intrigue! What next? At the same time, Married Life boasts engaging, emotionally truthful performances -- particularly from Cooper and Clarkson -- that linger in the mind long after the closing credits.

Go see this film--or regret it for your entire (married or unmarried) life!

Lots of fun - an adult movie that keeps you guessing about how the characters will understand themselves. A sort of farce, a sort of mordant comedy, driven by id, but on the surface well-mannered & careful, this film features a quartet of talented actors who consistently entertain & provoke us to think about what lies beneath our own happiness - or lack of it.

The weakest link is Rachel McAdams - luscious & pretty but not sexy-juicy. David Wenham is underused - he's such a creative, pithy, strongly male actor it's a shame his part isn't larger. Minor quibbles as the film works extremely well as it is. The sets & costumes are perfect, except that Brosnan's hair style is more '65 than '49, but maybe he's just ahead of his time.

Brosnan is excellent as slimy snake. Chris Cooper is great, & believable as a man driven more by his fantasies of love than by really feeling love. But why not a few hot necking scenes at least? For a movie about sex & love, there are NO sex/love scenes, except for one half-lit dark second or two.

Patricia Clarkson - wow - gorgeous, the most interesting character in the film really; nuanced, layered deep expression of real character. The wise one who sacrifices most - she's the one that really loves, despite her protests to the contrary.

See it - you will be entertained, provoked, & perhaps finally comforted, in a slightly twisted way.

Married Life fmovies. Great cast, a very good recreation of "the times" (1940s) in almost every way (hey, I was "there").

Costumes/cars authentic and I loved watching all of the "smoking" (e.g. in nice restaurants, etc.) scenes.Though I'm a non-smoker and HATED those who puffed while I dined, for some reason those scenes made me a bit nostalgic (probably because I did not have to actually breathe-in that poison).

When the movie ended I wanted more however (and it is tantalizing/frustrating to read in another Thread that there is a much longer version of this film that was deemed not the right fit for current theatrical release).

Enjoyable and fun film. Cooper/Clarkson perfect (as always) and I feel Pierce is very underrated as someone who is way more than a "pretty face".

In 1949, the middle-aged executive Harry (Chris Cooper) and his wife Pat Allen (Patricia Clarkson) are the example of a happily married couple. One day, Harry invites his best friend, the bachelor Richard Langley (Pierce Brosnan), to have lunch with him and Harry tells him that he is in love with the widow Kay Nesbitt (Rachel McAdams). However, he is afraid to ask the divorce to Pat that would have her heart broken. When Kay joins them for having lunch, Richard feels attracted by the sexy woman. Sooner Richard accidentally discovers that Pat has a love affair with an acquaintance, but he does not disclose the situation to Harry or Pat, otherwise he would not have any chance with Kay. Richard dates Kay in many occasions as a friend trying to convince her that Harry would never leave his wife. Meanwhile Harry blends Pat's antiacid with poison expecting to kill her and spare his wife from the humiliation of a divorce. But when Kay breaks with Harry, he realizes that he has just lost his mistress, his best friend and probably his wife.

"Married Life" is a cynical film about the hypocrite relationships among the husband, his wife, his younger mistress and his best friend with a disappointing ending. Narrated by the best friend, the melodramatic story could be shorter and have a better conclusion with black-humor instead of the conventional one. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "Vida de Casado" ("Married Life")

I love MARRIED LIFE!! It is a well crafted and beautifully written movie. By appearing to be a traditional noir, the film plays on the audience's expectations of the genre but then turns out to be something very different--something far more sad, funny and soulful. By having the traditional voice-over and haunting music at the outset, MARRIED LIFE subverts the viewer's expectations and draws us into a story that is utterly unique.

Characters in the film are not whom they appear to be--I like how all the leads are introduced as archetypes (e.g., the unhappily married business man, the cad, the long suffering wife, the pretty young widow) but each not only turns out to be different than expected, all four go through some sort of transition that deepens their humanity. They may be imperfect people and lacking in insight, but the audience feels empathy for their struggles. Given their array of poor choices, this is pretty amazing--their yearnings are poignant, even when their actions are deeply misguided. Humans are capable of being incredibly narcissistic and giving at the same time--the movie illustrates this with a mix of humor and pathos. The characters may be unable or unwilling to stop their most primal urges, yet we are rooting for them to find some happiness all the way to the end.

This film is wonderfully shot. Period details are rendered with loving care--whether it is the glorious costumes or the sweeping set design. Performances are top notch -- a true ensemble cast who look and sound like they are from a bygone era. A rich score magnifies the shifting moods without giving you whiplash. This is a complex movie that demands we see the world in shades of gray -- life is never simple. Especially married life!