Adam Driver plays a promising New York theatre director and Scarlett Johansson is his actor/wife. When she gets an offer to work in LA, it makes their impending separation much more stressful. There’s more focus on the husband, perhaps because his situation is more disruptive or because writer/director Noah Baumbach based this on his own experience. As a result, Driver is given the bulk of the heavy lifting and his character’s dilemma (and his performance) is absolutely heart breaking. Johansson also does a fine job, along with a wonderful supporting cast, esp. Laura Dern and Alan Alda. It’s good that they both play their attorneys, because the legal angles tend to drag down the emotional development. As their young son, Azhy Robertson is exceptionally natural. The film is slightly longer than it needed to be, but the subtle, excellent performances and Baumbach’s skilled observations combine to create an affecting examination of the pains of divorce. (Also showing on Netflix)
(4 / 5)