Married Life (2007)

Director:

Ira Sachs

Writers (WGA):

Ira Sachs (screenplay) &
Oren Moverman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

21 March 2008 (Canada)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Do you know what really goes on in the mind of the person with whom you sleep?

Plot:

A 1940s-set drama where an adulterous man plots his wife's death instead of putting her through the humiliation of a divorce.

Plot Keywords:

Divorce | Best Friend | Bachelor | Lover | Poison

Cast

Chris Cooper	...	Harry Allen
Annabel Kershaw	...	Miss Jones
Pierce Brosnan	...	Richard Langley
Patricia Clarkson	...	Pat Allen
Rachel McAdams	...	Kay Nesbitt
Sheila Paterson	...	Mrs. Walsh
David Richmond-Peck	...	Tom
Erin Boyes	...	Becky
Elijah St. Germain	...	Little Charlie
Terence Kelly	...	Dr. Anderson
Timothy Webber	...	Alvin Walters
Rebecca Codling	...	Photo Store Clerk
David Wenham	...	John O'Brien
Dolores Drake	...	Cinema Cashier
Malcolm Boddington	...	Well-Tailored Man

Also Known As:

Marriage (USA) (working title)
Pour le meilleur et pour le pire (Canada: French title)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for some thematic elements and a scene of sexuality.

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital | DTS

Certification:

Canada:14A | USA:PG-13 | Ireland:12A | Australia:M | UK:PG | South Africa:13L | Singapore:NC-16 | Taiwan:PG-12 | Netherlands:AL | Finland:K-11 | Portugal:M/12 | Mexico:B15 | Italy:T

Filming Locations:

Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada

Company:

Sidney Kimmel Entertainment

Goofs:

Factual errors: Harry attempts to call home from a Restaurant; instead of getting a connection or a busy signal, he get's an "out-of-order" chirp. He dials "O" and tells the Operator that his home phone is O.O.O., he gives her a five digit number, then looks in the phone book and finds his next-door neighbor who of course has the traditional "Waddington 1234" number" used in 1949.

Quotes:

Kay Nesbitt: A woman needs to be loved, and that's true. But it's not the whole truth. She also needs somebody to love.

Movie Connections:

Featured in "Siskel & Ebert & the Movies: (2008-03-08)" (2008)

Soundtrack:

All Nite Long

To End A Marriage To End A Life

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.