Glenn Close was nominated for Best Actress at the Academy Awards for her role in The Wife (regrettably she lost to Olivia Colman in a horrible movie, The Favourite), and so I was very interested to see her performance. I thought I knew what the film The Wife would be about after I saw the trailer. I did not guess the twist to the plot that is the big reveal near the end of the story which made it that much more satisfying to watch. The film is rated R for language and some sexual content.
Joan (Glenn Close) and Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce) have been married for about 40 years. Joe is a well known writer who has been chosen to receive a Nobel prize for literature. Flying to Stockholm, they run into journalist Nathanial Bone (Christian Slater). Nathanial wants to write a biography about Joe, and stirs up their seemingly perfect life with some well founded claims about the real relationship between Joan and Joe.
Also on the trip is their son David (Max Irons) who bears some resentment towards his father. The interactions between the three family members and Nathanial really stir things up as they prepare and rehearse for Joe’s participation in the Nobel Prize ceremony. The fact that women give up their lives in support of their husbands is not news. What is interesting in this film is the lengths to which narcissistic Joe and long-suffering Joan go to keep up their charade and deceit.
Glenn Close gives a stellar performance, Jonathan Pryce is convincing as her self-centered husband, and Christian Slater is perfect in his role as the biographer researching the family secrets.
Did you see The Wife? What did you think of Joan’s decision at the end of the film?
Hi sue - thanks for this resume ... I didn't get to see it - but will at some stage catch it ... cheers Hilary
ReplyDeleteIt's a very good film. I think you'd like it.
DeleteI want to see this film because it sounds interesting but some blogs I follow found this film boring but they are young. I have a feeling what they find boring, I will find thrilling to watch like last year’s film Darkest Hour which some of them found boring (I can’t understand that).
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of a scholarly film, given it's about writing and authors. I think you would appreciate it.
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