Marriage Story – Streaming on Netflix

Tom Grieve, Cinema Editor

Book now

Marriage Story

16 May 2020-31 March 2021
Date
Time
Session Features
22 Nov 2019
1:30 pm
22 Nov 2019
3:00 pm
22 Nov 2019
5:45 pm
22 Nov 2019
8:10 pm
23 Nov 2019
1:35 pm

See website for more sessions

Always double check opening hours with the venue before making a special visit.

HOME
Book now

Marriage Story opens with married couple Scarlett Johannson’s actress Nicole and Adam Driver’s theatre director Charlie listing, in voice-over, each other’s positive quirks and personality traits. Charlie says that what he really loves is “is that she really listens when somebody is talking,” before going on to say that she’s his favourite actress. Nicole loves that Charlie can darn socks and enthuses about his affection for all aspects of fatherhood, tantrums and all – their 8-year-old son Henry is played by Azhy Robertson. Writer-director Noah Baumbach, responsible for such acerbic, independently-minded dramatic comedies as Greenberg and Frances Ha, layers images of domestic bliss and an uplifting score by Randy Newman.

The rug is quickly pulled. We’re in couple’s therapy and this is a mandated exercise, one that Nicole can’t even complete. The couple are divorcing, you see, and while they’d like things to stay amicable, they are about to get ugly. Charlie is a superstar New York theatre director. His work is in an experimental, physical mode, and he is about to receive a prestigious McArthur Genius Grant. Nicole is their company, Exit Ghost’s lead actress, she’s eschewed the lights of Hollywood and brightened Charlie’s star in doing so. Fading affections and an incident of infidelity lead to a fracture in their relationship. Native Angelino Nicole wants to spread her wings, understandably, and there are still offers coming from L.A.

Nicole switches coasts, taking Henry with her and setting the stage for an almighty, bitter war. Those who have ever bore close witness to divorce will latch onto a familiar set of grievances and dynamics. There are competing Halloween costumes, new homes, new toys and new partners. As mentioned, it is ugly stuff, but it is also petty and human. That Baumbach takes the material and pounds it into something that is so pleasurable to witness, moment-to-moment, is remarkable. Sure, there are bouts of screaming and tears – both leads deliver performances of impressive depth – but from a scene where Nicole’s sister (Merritt Wever) attempts to serve Charlie divorce papers, to a bloody slip up in front of a social worker, Marriage Story is laugh out loud funny.

There is screwball comedy in its DNA. Baumbach has a deep affection for the classic 1940s sub-genre, an affection that is particularly evident in his 2016 Greta Gerwig vehicle Mistress America. Marriage Story’s whirling, pinball scenes between its central divorcing couple, their lawyers and family members are amongst the funniest of his career. Of course, screwball was often the comedy of remarriage; concerned with witty, warring spouses who come to realise that nobody else can keep up. There are elements of that here, both Nicole and Charlie are certainly exceptional people: talented, intelligent…on paper, a great match.

The amicable separation becomes nasty when the lawyers are involved, or perhaps the introduction of lawyers reveals wars that should have been fought earlier. Nicole enlists Laura Dern’s battle-hardened Nora while Charlie hires Alan Alda’s overly genial Bert – “Am I paying for this joke?” he enquires during one rambling segue – before bringing in Jay, an expensive big-gun played by Ray Liotta. Dern particularly impresses, channelling the same ferocious energy that made her Big Little Lies character such a fierce icon of female solidarity. Both Charlie and Nicole bleed money in lengthy scenes of negotiation in which the most minor infractions are weaponised, and for a time it becomes difficult to see the good that ever existed in their relationship.

Work. Money. Kids. Their problems are not unusual ones. Baumbach reportedly drew inspiration from his own breakup with actress Jennifer Jason Leigh. There are certainly enough small details here to evidence his familiarity with the minutiae of divorce in these circles of society. This is not a film that will send you back glumly into the night though. From the idealised ecstasies of monogamy that open the film, through bitter realities and spiteful acrimonies, Marriage Story concludes on hopeful notes, not that this couple are meant to be, but that people can move on and ultimately, be ok.

Marriage Story is available to watch on Netflix with a subscription. 

Where to go near Marriage Story – Streaming on Netflix

Hern Food
Leeds
Restaurant
Hern

This produce-driven bistro in Chapel Allerton, Leeds, prides itself on cooking with the only finest ingredients and his headed up by Cordon Bleu-trained chef Rab Adams.

Indie Makers
Leeds
Shop
Indie Makers

Indie Makers, located in Leads’ corn exchange, trades in art and gifts from independent makers across the UK.

Plant Point
Leeds
Shop
Plant Point

Plant Point is designed to help you bring the jungle into your urban or suburban space. The home of beautiful plants in Leeds.

Leeds
Restaurant
Eat Your Greens

Eat Your Greens is a vibrant, organic restaurant bringing a hint of European flair to the city’s plant-based dining scene.

Sela opened in 2004 with an idea to provide quality imported beers from around the world, fun cocktails to compliment the beer selections and a stage for the region’s finest and most talented musicians to play on.Over ten years later, we’re still all about the beer, cocktails, live music and pizza!We carry over a selection of over thirty different beers spanning the globe from Pickering with The Great Yorkshire Brewery’s Yorkshire Blackout, to New York with a selection from Brooklyn Brewery, and Belgium with longtime Sela favourite, Vedett.Our cocktails change regularly too. Our best-sellers are joined by fun, new offerings and our pizza menu is regarded as one of the best the city of Leeds has to offer.As for the live music, Sela has had not only the great and the good from the region. Local funksters, The New Mastersounds are regular visitors and we stage the amazing Mojah Reggae Band for their weekly Wednesday residency.  Our other long running programming incl
Leeds
Restaurant
Sela Bar & Pizzeria

Sela Bar is a cosy Leeds basement spot with live music, great drinks, and a cool, laid-back, atmospheric vibe.

Leeds Beckett SU
Leeds
Restaurant
Leeds Beckett Student Union

Leeds Beckett Student Union hosts big-name artists and supports students through events, live music, and a vibrant campus venue.

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There's ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and entertainment facilities, making for a great evening out!

Watch the latest film releases and enjoy the industry-leading Sony 4K Digital screens, boasting spectacular picture quality, along with enhanced audio quality courtesy of Dolby 'Profound Sound'. Stepped SuperVue seating means you will never miss a second of the action while VIP seating guarantees you an extra touch of luxury whenever you want to upgrade.

Three of the nine screens showcase the newest 3D releases while Vue Classical brings the latest stage sensations to the big screen, and parents can save as they go with Family Tickets and Kids AM screenings offering great value for money.
Leeds
Cinema
Vue Cinema – Leeds Kirkstall Road

Located on Cardigan Fields Leisure Park, Vue Leeds Kirkstall is a nine screen cinema with almost 2000 seats. There’s ample parking and the cinema is surrounded by various restaurants and

Restaurant 2
Leeds
Café or Coffee Shop
Empire Café

Empire Café is located in Leeds’ ‘home of day dining’- Fish street!

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Phranakhon

Phranakhon Thai Tapas is a revolutionised Thai dining restaurant with a combination of European indulgence and authentic Thai tastes.

Restaurant
Leeds
Restaurant
Wen’s

Wen’s is a family owned Chinese restaurant specialising in authentic, home cooked cuisine.

What's on: Cinema

Two young women dance in a nightclub, smiling next to each other.
CinemaManchester
The Last Days of Disco + Q&A at HOME

Director Whit Stillman presents a 35mm screenings of one of the best films of the nineties, as a group of twenty-somethings navigate The Last Days of Disco.

From £7.95
Until
CinemaManchester
YANK at Cultplex

Thirteen movies to get to know the United States of America. Cultplex presents a season of film exploring America through its own lens.

From £7.50

Culture Guides

Star Nhà Ease
Cinema in the North

July's cinema highlights include spotlights on international cinema, a new cult classic, plus a visit from one of our favourite directors.

Exhibitions in the North

Captivating, urgent and intimate - we bring you our top exhibition picks, with even more art festivals, artist-led shows and new venues.

Theatre in Manchester
Theatre in the North

Summer signals theatre festivals, world premieres and open-air spectacle - from MIF25 to comedy, outdoor circus and beyond, here’s what we’re looking forward to.

European Poetry Festival European Camarade
Literature Events in the North

From tongue-twisters to twisty page-turners, we have all kinds of spoken word surprises in the latest literature round-up.