Noah Baumbach's "Marriage Story"

It was nearly ten years ago that I put Noah Bambach on my list of directors to avoid, having hated "Greenberg." I found his protagonist an insufferable, and thinly disguised version of himself, and the self-obsession was grating. It was only Greta Gerwig's involvement that got me to reluctantly watch "Frances Ha," and reevaluate. Now, here we are in 2019 with "Marriage Story," a film about a character I can't help but see as another thinly disguised version of Baumbach. And I'm pretty sure that this one is his masterpiece.

Theater director Charlie (Adam Driver) and actress Nicole (Scarlett Johanssen) are getting divorced after a ten year marriage. They intend to do things amicably, especially since they have an eight year-old son, Henry (Azhy Robertson), but after Nicole goes to Los Angeles to shoot a pilot, she contracts the services of a divorce lawyer, Nora (Laura Dern). This sparks an escalation of hostilities, and Charlie is forced to get his own lawyer, Bert (Alan Alda), and then establish a residence in Los Angeles while trying to juggle work commitments back in New York.

Initially, it seems like the movie will follow the divorce from the perspectives of the two leads equally. However, while a good chunk of the film is told from Nicole's point of view, the movie is ultimately about the transformation of Charlie. It's about how he deals with all the changes in lifestyle and expectations that the divorce requires, and how he finally confronts the problems in the relationship he ignored for too long. Likewise, while Scarlett Johanssen has some fantastic high points, it's Adam Driver's movie. The humor and the emotional intensity that he's able to bring to both the big clashes and the subtler, quieter moments are a major part of why the scenario plays out as well as it does. Charlie isn't the neurotic New Yorker archetype that most Baumbach characters are, but a different, more universal avatar of well-meaning, immature, male cluelessness. He's massively flawed, but so likeably and sympathetic regardless.

And I think the autobiographical component of Charlie is actually helpful in this case, because there's so much empathy here for both parties. "Marriage Story" could have easily turned irreparably nasty at many points, and audiences will no doubt argue about who is more at fault, but Baumbach is constantly taking pains to show that both Nicole and Charlie are fundamentally good and kind people whose relationship has simply run its course. If there's any villain in the film, it's the legal process, which "rewards bad behavior." While we get the usual fights over broken promises and bad communication, I think the film is at its best in the smaller, observational moments. Many of the most poignant episodes turn on little looks and glances, small changes in mood or behavior. Johannssen's best moment isn't her breakdown in her lawyer's office, but a simple reaction shot when she receives unexpected news.

Humor has always been Baumbach's strong point, and he's firing on all cylinders here. There's Nicole trying to enlist her family to help her serve divorce papers. There's the lawyers seamlessly transitioning from acrimonious negotiation into casually ordering lunch. There's Charlie accidentally turning a meeting with a court observer into a slasher movie scenario. It's a good distraction from how increasingly sad and emotionally fraught the situation becomes for Charlie. And what really killed me is that Baumabach makes it so clear that even though the relationship is over, Nicole and Charlie still care about each other, and are never going to be fully out of each other's lives. I so appreciated that the ending is a hopeful one too - pointing toward the possibility of friendly coexistence, even if heartache lingers.

I think "Marriage Story" is connecting with mainstream audience more than most Baumbach films because it puts aside a lot of the cynicism and satirical edge that have characterized his other work. The humor is just as cutting, but more visual and situational, less dependent on dialogue. At the same time, the movie is unashamedly heartfelt and sentimental. There's tears. There's impromptu Sondheim. You can compare "Marriage Story" to "Kramer v. Kramer" or "Scenes From a Marriage," but it's very much its own beast, and perfectly in line with Noah Baumbach's recent string of dysfunctional family comedies.

The irony is that "Greenberg" was the movie that Baumbach was working on during his divorce, and his experiences from from that project clearly informed this one. Who knows if "Marriage Story" would have happened without it?
---