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Movies / On DVD / Married Life
Married Life

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Married Life (2008)

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Reviews Counted:50

Fresh:33

Rotten:17

Average Rating:6.2/10

Consensus: Married Life has excellent performances and flashes of dark wit, but it suffers from tonal shifts and uneven pacing.

Rated: PG-13

Runtime: 1 hr 31 mins

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Mar 7, 2008 Limited

Box Office: $1,197,472

Synopsis: This melodramatic musing on the trials and tribulations of marriage features a small but talented ensemble cast that includes Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper, and Rachel McAdams. Set in 1949, the... This melodramatic musing on the trials and tribulations of marriage features a small but talented ensemble cast that includes Patricia Clarkson, Chris Cooper, and Rachel McAdams. Set in 1949, the story opens into a picturesque, affluent suburb where Harry Allen (Chris Cooper) resides with his wife, Pat (Patricia Clarkson). But there's trouble brewing beyond the perfect picket fences. Harry has fallen deeply in love with a blonde beauty named Kay (Rachel McAdams). He confesses his secret to his longtime bachelor friend, Richard (Pierce Brosnan), and even introduces Richard to the lovely Kay. Unfortunately for Harry, Richard is instantly smitten, and makes up his mind that he will do whatever it takes to win Kay for himself. Harry, meanwhile, continues to plot ways to escape his marriage, though he fears leaving Pat will destroy her. He soon decides the most humane thing would be to dispose of her the old-fashioned way, with the aid of a little poison. While he debates on when to make his move, we learn that Pat actually has a few secrets of her own. Cooper and Clarkson both give charming, multi-layered performances, expertly revealing the tortured emotions that hide behind their well-mannered 1940s façades. The film's recreation of the era is mesmerizing in its detail, with gorgeous costumes and an elegant set design. MARRIED LIFE has all the ingredients for Hitchcockian thrills, including a delicate blonde bombshell and a methodical murder plot. Yet the film daintily dances between black comedy and noir thriller, leading to a tidy, if rather anticlimactic end. The movie keeps you on your toes, but some might find themselves longing for a bigger payoff by the time the credits roll. [More]

Starring: Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Rachel McAdams

Starring: Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Patricia Clarkson, Rachel McAdams, David Wenham

Director: Ira Sachs

Director: Ira Sachs
Screenwriter: Ira Sachs, Oren Moverman
Producer: Sidney Kimmel, Jawal Nga, Steve Golin, Ira Sachs
Composer: Dickon Hinchliffe
Studio: Sony Pictures Classics

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Release:

Sep 2, 2008

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  • A strong blend of suspense, star-crossed romance and wry comedy of manners, Married Life is an unconventional human drama about the irresistible power and utter madness of love. Harry (Chris Cooper) decides he must kill his wife Pat (Patricia Clarkson) because he loves her too much to let her suffer when he leaves her. Harry and his much younger girlfiend Kay (Rachel McAdams) are head over heels in love but his best friend Richard (Pierce Brosnan) wants to win Kay for himself. As Harry implements his awkward plan for murdering his wife, the other characters are occupied with their own deceptions. Like Harry, they are overwhelmed by their passions, but still struggle to avoid hurting others. Married Life is an uncommonly adult film that surprises and confounds expectations. While it plays with mystery and intrigue, its ultimate concern is: What is Married Life? In its sly way, Married Life poses perceptive questions about the seasonal discontents and unforeseen joys of of all long-term relationships.
  • Source: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
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    Lord H.11/19/09
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    Timothy Q.11/15/09
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    Matt S.11/15/09
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    An very intriguing character study that was beautifully filmed that really pulls you into the... More
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    Rafael R.9/14/09
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    This movie tries to recreate Hitchcock´s style thriller, and it is entertaining and absorbing,... More
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    Steolicious K.9/12/09
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    I had no desire what so ever to see this film. But I found myself bored and looking for something... More
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    While watching this film I was constantly aware that I was indeed, watching a film. In other... More
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    ike s.3/19/09
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