In a year full of surprises, Marriage Story still found a way to surprise me. This film is truly special, and it's, without a doubt, in my top 5 of the year.
Starting with my positives, I cannot give enough credit to Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson. They truly don't appear to be characters in this film. They don't appear to be acting either; it's simply that good. Both characters are presented as deeply flawed, yet likable and relatable characters. Though both are outstanding, I think that Adam Driver shined the brightest. He gave such an outstanding performance, having to display a wide range of emotions. Driver's performance is my second favorite behind Joaquin Phoenix 's performance in Joker. The final note scene is one of my favorites of the year as well. It was simply beautiful, choking me up. I can't overstate how fantastic he is in the film. I have to highlight my favorite scene with Johanson as well. There is a scene with Laura Dern's character that is simply great. It's a 3-5 minute one-take, showcasing Johansson's incredible performance. It's incredibly simple dolly-zoom shot with Johansson simply giving an incredibly emotional monologue. Both Johansson and Driver are at their peak performance-wise during the third act argument scene. That scene is one of the most impressive scenes I've seen in years. The amount of raw emotion being screamed/cried is jaw-dropping. The cinematography is extremely impressive in Marriage Story. There aren't many jaw-dropping shots. However, it has incredible color-grading, shot-composition, and framing.
Marriage Story is more than just two incredible performances; the story is also captivating. These people don't hate each other; they aren't screaming at each other most of the time. The characters are presented as real people who still care about one another. There are some beautiful, small character-scenes. Marriage Story also dives deep into the legal side of divorce; it was definitely different than most stories dealing with divorce. It was an interesting take and definitely shined a light on how morally-corrupt lawyers can be.
I don't truly have a negative with Marriage Story. The only minor negative I have is that some scenes don't flow extremely well transition-wise. That's it. Marriage Story is a nearly flawless film.
In conclusion, Noah Baumbach crafted an incredible film. Marriage Story is one of the best character-driven films I've seen in years. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson are absolutely phenomenal. I hope this film gets plenty of Oscar-nominations; it deserves it.
9/10
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