In The Dark - Married Life
Genre: Romance/Suspense/Drama
Tagline: Do you really know what goes in the mind of the person of whom you sleep?
Ebert gave it: 3 stars
The only way to start this post is to say I am in LOVE. I’m in love with the time era, I’m in love with the days you could drink and smoke in the office, when women were secretaries and got to wear red matte lipstick all the time and were wined and dine. And I’m in love with Pierce Brosnan…I haven’t seen him in a while and I must say he just gets better with age! Can a movie be suspenseful without a bunch of fighting and yelling - yes…takes me back to the olden days of film making.But more importantly let’s get to the movie. Married Life is the story of Harry (Chris Cooper) and his need for true love…not just sex and his wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson) and her need for sex. Harry begins to have an emotional affair with young Kay (Rachel McAdams). He comes clean about his lies to his best friend, Richard (Brosnan) and introduces his new love over drinks. Richard is immediately charmed by her as well and begins his mission to swoop in and rescue the young maiden from a web of lies…by weaving some of his own.As the story unravels Harry decides telling his wife the truth would ruin her (after all she is just a housewife!) so he decides to kill her and spare her the details. With the plan in mind he moves forward in its execution - all while still having a good old fashioned relationship with Kay.My favorite part about this movie is the way it is told. Brosnan tells the story like we are close confidants, sipping a stiff drink and smoking a cigarette. The way he narrates makes this movie classic. If you are the kind of person who goes to movies to see action and sex don’t go to this one - chances are you are too stupid or too immature to sit through a strictly dialogue movie. I couldn’t even call this a drama - because contrary to popular belief there isn’t much drama. It is so vintage and thoughtful and doesn’t need the fluff and frills of modern day cinema. Patricia Clarkson lights up the screen and shows that beneath every housewife is a person…and secrets (not in a cheesy Desperate kind of way) - I LOVED her - her voice, her mannerisms - she embodies this old school decor perfectly.Although it is all talking and no action there are so many twists and turns you’ll never guess how it will end. Just like Harry’s younger women is not your typical affair, this is not your typical movie and characters are not what they seem. And remember how I hate everyone lives happily ever after movies? The ending to this can be taken so many different ways that I love it! Happy or not…I love it!
My Rating:
This movie was perfect! I loved the sophistication and the old Hollywood feel. I’m a sucker for it what can I say. If you are intellectual and have a refined taste go see this movie! BRILLANT! (with only one minor continuity error…but it is still good)
