Married Life

Director: Ira Sachs
Screenwriters: Ira Sachs, Oren Moverman
Starring: Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan, Rachel McAdams, Patricia Clarkson
Running time: 86 mins
Certificate: PG

Despite a thoroughly intriguing cast, Married Life has quietly washed up on our shores with a distinct lack of fanfare. Is that because the adultery-based movie is an unadulterated stinker? Not quite, but the film feels far worse than it is for squandering both an interesting premise and the combined talents of Chris Cooper, Pierce Brosnan and the drool-inducing Rachel McAdams.

Set in 1949, the twist-laden tale focuses on emotionally befuddled businessman Harry's (Cooper) attempts to trade in his wife (Clarkson) for his nubile mistress Kay (McAdams), opting to employ some very underhand methods in a bid to avoid telling his spouse. Unknown to him, confident cad Richard (Brosnan) has his own set of golden eyes fixed upon Kay.

Now that all sounds promising enough, particularly when it appears the relishing prospect of aging lothario Brosnan embarking on a proper skirt-hunting mission. Yet sadly a number of ill-conceived plot contrivances, such as bottles of poison popping out of a character's pocket at an inopportune moment, prevent us from becoming immersed in the narrative crux.

Furthermore, the familiarity of Pierce Brosnan in an overly suave role detracts from proceedings, especially as his right eyebrow seems to be mounting a challenge on Roger Moore's legendary furry arch. To make matters worse, Brosnan's narration (through no fault of the actor's) occasionally conveys massive plot revelations that would have been better off depicted on screen - especially given the film's minuscule running time. For example, the narration drops a bombshell early on by revealing - out of the blue - that Harry wishes to kill his wife. Next scene, there he is with armed with a bottle of poison.

Chris Cooper would deliver a performance laced with subtlety and gravitas if you stuck him in a party political broadcast by the Monster Raving Looney Party and made him recite the lyrics to 'Agadoo' in a broad South African accent while wearing Bermuda short and a string vest. His facial features, bordering on the reptilian, are perfectly suited to Harry's morally dubious persona, but he is given little meat to sink his teeth into where the script is concerned. He nails the anguished look of the classic film noir protagonist, but he deserves far better.

The mind-numbing final act fails to expand upon some interesting themes established in the film's opening sequences, revolving around the meaning of true mental and physical happiness in a relationship. This is symptomatic of Married Life - it starts off well but soon there's every chance you'll be reaching out for the divorce papers.


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