Noah Baumbach emotionally charged, family drama, picks apart the process of divorce.  A stage director, Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) and his actor wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson) have reached the end of their relationship. They struggle through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes. Their child is the main reason for the conflict, poor legal advice, hard truths and difficult decisions.

MARRIAGE STORY is a version of the world, through the eyes of the middle class, that could be mist rune as ignorant. An act that is personally devastating, divorce, is treated with clarity and tone. It feels like a Woody Allen film, without the comedy and with more of the probing emotional dexterity we have seen before with Baumbach. MARRIAGE STORY hurts as a film. It is uncomfortable and hits with jabs. Striking the viewer, without much hope of escape. This really levels the events within and makes for a compelling time.

Direction is reminiscent of KRAMER VS KRAMER, layering tonal range with clever use of space. The script lays flat life in a difficult time without humour, which is where it falls down. Charged with excellent performances, it lacks the ability to ease off events. It also suffers from a whole host of inconsistencies about timelines, narratives and themes. The dispense of exterior life, makes the piece heavier. So heavy in fact that it becomes too hard.

DISC

The 4K can be described better than that with the version on Netflix. Hey they have taken their time and Baumbach makes it at least in the whole, valuable.

EXTRAS

The Filmmakers is the best feature on the disc. Simply because it outlines the creative process. The interviews are wide ranging but feel like you could spend a lot longer with the players.

• New 4K digital transfer, supervised by director Noah Baumbach, with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• New interview with Baumbach
• The Players, a new programme featuring interviews with actors Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver, Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Julie Hagerty, and Ray
• Liotta
• The Filmmakers, a new programme about the production of the film, featuring interviews with Baumbach, editor Jennifer Lame, production designer Jade Healy, costume designer Mark Bridges, and producer David Heyman
• The Making of “Marriage Story,” a new programme featuring behind-thescenes footage
• New interviews with composer Randy Newman and Baumbach about the film’s score
• New programme featuring Baumbach walking the viewer through a key location from the film
• Trailers
• English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: Notes on the film by novelist Linn Ullmann